INUK welcomes new HFEA fertility trends report

useful-links-ab-hfeaCommenting on the new fertility trends report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), Susan Seenan, chief executive of leading patient fertility charity Infertility Network UK said: ‘Fertility problems affect one in six couples in the UK, so it is heartening to see how many people are being helped by assisted reproductive techniques; in 2013, according to the latest HFEA data, just over 2 per cent of all the babies born in the UK were conceived through IVF treatment.’

‘However, it is important to recognise that the majority of fertility treatment in the UK is paid for privately and is therefore only available to those who can afford it. The HFEA data shows just 41.3 per cent of fertility treatment is funded by the NHS.’

‘What is also striking about this latest data is the new information on egg freezing which shows that despite the media interest in this, uptake is still low with fewer than 150 cycles a year involving thawed eggs and success rates remaining low. Of the nearly 700 eggs thawed from 2013, just 12 babies were born. If women are considering freezing their eggs in the hope of preserving their fertility, they need to be aware of this low success rate.’