HFEA - Fertility, Infertility, IVF, Embryo research - Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

two women in a clinic talking about IVF and infertility

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is the UK's independent regulator overseeing the use of gametes and embryos in fertility treatment and research.

The HFEA licenses fertility clinics and centres carrying out in vitro fertilisation (IVF), other assisted conception procedures and human embryo research.

For patients & their supporters

Choose a fertility clinic

Compare and contrast fertility clinics based on your needs.

Advanced search

Find out the entire fertility process, step by step, from how to get started to what will happen at the fertility clinic.

Research what infertility is and see what different treatment options are available.

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For donor-conceived people & their parents

If you are donor conceived, you are entitled to approach the HFEA to find information about where you came from and if you have any siblings also conceived by donation.

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..more for donor-conceived people & their parents

For donors

People donate for many different reasons, including those who already have children of their own and want others to be able to experience the joy of being a parent.

Find out what you should be considering before donating sperm, eggs or embryos and read about how to start the process.

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...more about donating

For clinic staff & other professionals

The latest guidance, HFEA forms and procedures for staff members of HFEA licensed clinics. Download the Code of Practice and the latest inspection reports. Logon to read the latest Alerts.

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...more for clinic staff

For media & researchers

HFEA press releases and news for those interested in keeping up with what’s going on in the fertility sector.

Useful background information and statistics on the HFEA for anybody researching fertility and the HFEA.

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...more for media & researchers

Latest from the HFEA

23.1.12: Professor Lisa Jardine, Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), today announced that Peter Thompson has been appointed as the Authority’s new Chief Executive....read more
19.1.12: HFEA to consult on ethics of 'mitochondria transfer'...read the press release
12.1.12: The HFEA has issued a statement about a study in The Lancet on multiple births and embryo transfer....read the statement
19.12.11: The HFEA have released a statement on the Mail on Sunday article regarding James Paget Hospital....read the statement

Latest donor statistics

The HFEA has updated its donor statistics to include figures for 2009 and 2010. These figures cover the following areas:

New donor registrations
Egg share donors and non-patient egg donors
UK and overseas donors
Donor conception – patients and treatments
Donor conception – births and children (figures for 2009 only)

...view the figures

Fertility treatment trends and figures

Report - 2010 fertility statistics, trends, figures - IVF 'Fertility treatment in 2010: trends and figures' is the first in what will now be an annual publication.

Here we present overview information about treatments and results from 2009 and 2010. We also highlight some short term and longer term changes over time.

...see the report

Understanding fertility clinic success rates

person drawing a graph What do clinic success rates really mean? Are they that different between clinics?

...read about clinic success rates

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Mitochondria - public dialogue

The Secretary of State for Health together with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills have jointly asked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to seek public views on emerging IVF techniques designed to prevent mitochondrial disease.