IVF treatment safer and more successful than ever before

IVF treatment is 85% more likely to succeed than it was in 1991 when the HFEA was set up, and the number of cycles being carried out in a single year in the UK has increased ten-fold. We’ve also seen a growth in the use of donated eggs and sperm, and greater success rates using frozen eggs, sperm and embryos.

While the report confirms that the biggest factor in determining successful fertility treatment remains the age of the patient, the average live birth rate per embryo transferred for women of all age groups stands at 21%, with the figure for women aged under 35 stands at 29% - the highest it’s ever been.

Crucially, by working closely with the clinics we regulate, we continue to see great steps made in reducing the risks of multiple births, which have dropped from 28% of all births to 11% in 2016, the lowest ever.

Reducing multiple birth rates, which are more likely to happen with fertility treatment, has been one of our key goals as they constitute a risk to the health of both mother and baby.

If you want to find out more about fertility treatment from the UK’s fertility regulator, read our full Fertility Trends 2014 – 2016 report (PDF 1.3 MB)

For more information on fertility treatments, check out our pages on the options available.