Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
IUI or artificial insemination is commonly used by people who are using donated sperm in their treatment, including single women and female couples, but can also be used by some heterosexual couples.
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Read our new annual Fertility Trends 2023 report here.
Explore fertility treatments
There are a number of different fertility treatments, from fertility drugs and embryo screening to surgical sperm extraction and IVF. Explore all the different treatments available and find out about the risks of treatment, using donated eggs, sperm and embryos and having treatment abroad.
Treatment options
In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
IVF is suitable for people with a wide range of fertility issues and is the one of the most commonly used and successful treatments available for many people.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
For around half of heterosexual couples who are having problems conceiving the cause of infertility is sperm-related. ICSI is the most common and successful treatment for male infertility.
Fertility drugs
Some people with polycystic ovary syndrome or fertility problems caused by hormone imbalances may be able to have fertility drug treatment without needing to have a more invasive treatment like IVF or IUI.
IVF options
It’s possible to have IVF with either less medication, or no medication at all. These treatments include natural IVF, mild stimulation IVF and in vitro maturation (IVM) and may be suitable for people who are unable to take fertility drugs due to an existing medical condition.
Surgical sperm extraction
If you have no, or extremely low numbers of sperm in your semen, you may be able to have sperm collected surgically. This page will introduce you to your options and chances of success.
Surgery
Some conditions that affect your fertility may be treatable with surgery. This includes women with blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis and fibroids and men who have had a vasectomy which they want to have reversed.
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is the main treatment for same sex male couples who’d like to have a family. It can also be used by women who have a medical condition that makes it difficult or impossible to get pregnant and couples who have had repeated miscarriages or failed treatment cycles.
The most important thing you can do when making decisions about fertility treatment is to ensure you are well informed.
Other things to consider
Treatment abroad
Some people prefer to go abroad for treatment but there are a number of important issues to consider. Understand all the risks of having treatment abroad and next steps for finding a clinic.
Find out more about Treatment abroadRisks of fertility treatment
Risks of fertility treatment can range from mild discomfort to potentially life-threatening conditions. Understand all the risks and what you need to look out for to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.
Find out more about Risks of fertility treatmentUsing a donor
If you can’t use your own eggs and/or sperm or you’re in a same sex couple or you're a single woman, you’ll need to use donated eggs, sperm or embryos. Find out more about using sperm, eggs or embryos from a donor.
Find out more about Using a donorTreatment add ons
Your clinic may offer you ‘extras’ on top of your IVF or ICSI treatment, such as reproductive immunology, time-lapse imaging and pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS). Not all of these have been proven to be effective and some actually cause you harm. Find out more about what these treatments involve and what evidence there is for them so you can make an informed decision.
The HFEA has assessed and rated some of the add-ons offered by UK fertility clinics. To find out more: Treatment add-ons with limited evidence.
Fertility preservation
Preserving your fertility involves freezing your eggs, sperm, embryos or reproductive tissue so that you can hopefully have a biological family in the future. This page will explain why you might want to preserve your fertility and the different treatment options available.
Embryo testing and treatments for disease
Embryo testing and treatments can be used by people who have serious inherited diseases in their family and want to avoid passing the disease onto any children they might have. Find out what your options are and how to get started.
Publication date: 19 May 2025
Review date: 19 May 2027
