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Research and data

Publication update: Fertility Trends

All HFEA licensed clinics are required by law to provide us with their fertility treatment and outcomes data. We store this in our Register, thought to be the largest database of fertility treatment in the world. Due to the pressures of COVID-19 on clinics and a large-scale data migration project for our data register, treatments and pregnancies from 2020-2021 and birth outcomes from 2019-2021 remain unvalidated. Data validation involves quality checking data submitted from licensed clinics across the UK to verify treatment, pregnancy and birth outcome data is correctly recorded on our data register. Data validation is expected to be completed in winter 2023/24.

The HFEA published our annual Register update – Fertility treatment: trends and figures – with preliminary data in June 2023. The data in this report will be updated following data validation.

Ethnic diversity in fertility treatment 2021 - cover image
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Ethnic diversity in fertility treatment 2021

This report looks at how access to, and outcomes of fertility treatment, differ by ethnic group.

View the Ethnic diversity in fertility treatment 2021 report here.

Previous editions

Fertility treatment 2021: preliminary trends and figures - cover image
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Fertility treatment 2021: preliminary trends and figures (published: June 2023)

This is our annual publication covering key information about the number and type of patients treated, the different treatments they had and the pregnancy rates for fertility treatment.

View the Fertility treatment 2021: preliminary trends and figures report.

Previous editions

Trends in egg, sperm and embryo donation 2020
Impact of COVID-19 on fertility treatment 2020 - thumbnail
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Impact of COVID-19 on fertility treatment 2020

This report looks at changes in UK fertility treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, including treatment numbers, funding, and donation.

View the Impact of COVID-19 on fertility treatment 2020.

National Patient Survey report 2021
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National Patient Survey 2021

Survey of UK fertility patients, 2 November – 7 December 2021.

View the National Patient Survey report 2021.

Previous editions

Multiple births in fertility treatment 2019 - cover image.
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Multiple births in fertility treatment 2019

This report looks at changes in multiple births over time, including differences by patient age, egg source, ethnicity and funding.

View the Multiple births in fertility treatment 2019.

Previous editions

Family formations in fertility treatment 2018 - cover image.
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Family formations in fertility treatment 2018 (published September 2020)

This report covers UK in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and donor insemination (DI) statistics for heterosexual, female same-sex and single patients.

View the Family formations in fertility treatment 2018 report here.

State of the fertility sector 2022-2023 - cover image.
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Egg freezing in fertility treatment (released September 2018)

Our egg freezing report covers the trends and figures relating to egg freezing and the use of thawed eggs in fertility treatment from 2010 to 2016.

When looking at success rates for frozen eggs, numbers tend to be quite low. The technology for egg freezing has also improved over the years which means older data isn’t comparable to current success rates. We advise patients to look at success rates for fresh IVF cycles with patients using their own eggs in their age band. We consider these rates to be more reliable as there are much higher numbers of fresh embryo transfers each year compared to egg freezing. This information can be found in Choose a Fertility Clinic and in our Fertility Trends report.

Download the full report (PDF 784 KB)

Download the patient friendly version of the report (PDF 1.07 MB)

Download the supplement to the report (PDF 92 KB)

Download the data sheet of this report (XLSX 56 KB)

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Adverse incidents in fertility clinics: lessons to learn

The vast majority of fertility treatments are carried out without any problems occurring but, as in any clinical setting, mistakes can happen. Most people understand there are risks associated with any kind of healthcare, but they also rightly expect healthcare professionals to learn from those mistakes.  

This annual report provides details of clinic incidents, allowing clinics to learn from each other and improve patient care.

 

Previous editions

Review date: 13 December 2025