HFEA Report Highlights Fertility Treatment Growth

New figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reveal that IVF is helping more people than ever start or grow their families, with patient numbers in the UK almost tripling over the past three decades.

The HFEA’s latest report, Fertility Treatment 2024: Trends and Figures, shows that the number of patients undergoing IVF treatment in the UK has increased from around 19,000 in the early 1990s to more than 53,000 in 2024.

The findings highlight the growing role fertility treatment now plays in family building across the UK, with IVF births accounting for more than 3% of all births in 2024 – approximately one child in every classroom, or 1 in 31 babies born.

As the world approaches the 50th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown, the data demonstrates just how far fertility treatment has come – both in the UK and globally.

IVF Has Become a Global Family-Building Success Story

The HFEA’s latest figures reflect a much bigger global trend. Over the past 30 years, IVF has evolved from a pioneering medical breakthrough into a mainstream part of reproductive healthcare worldwide.

Today, more than 2.5 million IVF cycles are performed globally every year, and it is estimated that more than 13 million babies have been born through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) since IVF began.

Changing lifestyles, later parenthood, fertility preservation and increasing awareness of reproductive health have all contributed to growing demand for fertility treatment around the world.

Global IVF Growth Over the Last 30 Years

The growth in fertility treatment has been remarkable:

• In the UK, IVF treatment cycles increased from around 6,700 in 1991 to more than 69,000 by 2019.
• The United States now performs more than 450,000 IVF cycles annually.
• In Japan, around 561,664 IVF and ART treatment cycles each year
• India performs an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 IVF cycles annually
• More than 2.5 million IVF cycles are now carried out globally every year.
• IVF has become an increasingly important part of healthcare systems and family building across the world.

However, access to treatment remains highly variable depending on where patients live.

Countries such as Israel, Japan and Denmark have some of the highest rates of IVF utilisation globally, while many regions continue to face barriers related to affordability, regulation and access to care.

IVF Success Rates Have Improved Dramatically

Advances in fertility science have transformed IVF outcomes over the past three decades.

Live birth rates per embryo transfer have approximately tripled since the early 1990s, thanks to significant improvements in laboratory technology, embryo culture systems and treatment protocols.

Today:

• Women under 35 may achieve success rates of 45-55% per cycle in many leading clinics.
• Cumulative success rates can reach 85-90% after three treatment cycles.
• Frozen embryo transfer outcomes continue to improve.
• Technologies such as preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A) are helping support embryo selection in some patient groups.

IVF Is Safer Than Ever Before

One of the most significant advances in modern fertility treatment has been the move towards single embryo transfer.

Historically, transferring multiple embryos was common in an effort to improve pregnancy rates. However, this increased the risk of twins and triplets, which can carry greater health risks for both mothers and babies.

Today, thanks to improvements in embryo selection and freezing technologies, multiple birth rates have fallen dramatically. In the UK, multiple births following IVF are now at record lows of around 4-5%, making treatment safer while maintaining strong success rates.

Fertility Patients Are Changing Too

The profile of fertility patients has evolved significantly over the past 30 years.

The average age of IVF patients has increased as more people delay parenthood for personal, professional or financial reasons. In the UK, the average age of IVF patients is now around 36.

At the same time, fertility treatment is supporting a wider range of family-building journeys than ever before.

Increasing numbers of:

are accessing fertility treatment and reproductive medicine to build their families.

UK IVF Numbers Continue to Rise

The HFEA report shows that IVF continues to transform the lives of thousands of people across the UK every year.

Most IVF babies (81%) were born following treatment using a patient’s own eggs and their partner’s sperm.

However, donor conception continues to play an increasingly important role, with around one in five IVF births involving donor eggs, donor sperm, donor embryos or donor insemination.

In 2024, donor-assisted conception accounted for approximately 1 in 137 of all UK births.

Frozen Embryo Transfers Continue to Rise

One of the most notable trends highlighted in the report is the continued growth of frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

Nearly half (48%) of all IVF cycles performed in 2024 involved frozen embryos, reflecting ongoing advances in embryo freezing technology and changing clinical practice.

Meanwhile, egg and embryo freezing accounted for almost one in five fertility treatment cycles (17%) carried out in 2024.

Most of these were embryo freezing cycles, demonstrating the increasing importance of fertility preservation and embryo banking in modern fertility care.

IVF Success Rates Remain Strong for Younger Patients

The HFEA data confirms that age remains one of the most important factors affecting IVF success.

The average IVF birth rate per embryo transferred in 2024 was 30%.

Success rates were highest among patients aged 18-34, where birth rates reached 38% per embryo transferred.

In comparison, patients aged 43-44 experienced birth rates of 8%.

These figures reinforce the importance of fertility awareness, timely investigations and access to treatment when needed.

Ethnic Disparities in IVF Outcomes Remain a Concern

While overall access to fertility treatment has increased, the report highlights ongoing disparities in IVF outcomes between ethnic groups.

Among patients aged 18-37, Black and Asian patients continue to experience lower birth rates following IVF treatment compared with White and Mixed ethnicity patients.

The data showed:

• White patients achieved birth rates of 36% per embryo transferred.
• Black and Asian patients achieved birth rates of approximately 30%.
• Black patients continue to start IVF treatment later than White and Asian patients, despite improvements in recent years.
• Patients from Mixed ethnic backgrounds are also beginning treatment later, with the average age increasing from 35 in 2019 to 36 in 2024.

Although the gap is beginning to narrow for some groups, the HFEA says more work is needed to understand and address inequalities in fertility treatment access and outcomes.

NHS IVF Funding Continues to Decline

Perhaps one of the most concerning findings in the report relates to access to NHS-funded fertility treatment.

The proportion of IVF cycles funded by the NHS has continued to fall, dropping from 35% in 2019 to just 28% in 2024 across the UK.

England had the lowest proportion of NHS-funded IVF cycles, with only 25% funded through the NHS.

This means that nearly three-quarters of fertility patients are now paying privately for treatment, raising ongoing concerns about affordability and the UK’s postcode lottery for fertility care.

For many patients, access to treatment remains dependent on where they live and their financial circumstances rather than clinical need.

HFEA Calls for Fairer Access to Fertility Treatment

Commenting on the findings, HFEA Chair Julia Chain said:

“The UK has long been a pioneer in fertility treatment, and with the 50th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown, the first baby born from IVF, fast approaching, we are pleased to see that more people are starting or growing their families with the help of IVF.”

She added:

“At a time when national birth rates have fallen to an all-time low, more single patients and female same-sex couples are having IVF, but almost three quarters of patients are having to pay for treatment themselves. Ensuring fair and equitable access to treatment for all patients has never been more important.”

Key IVF Statistics for 2024

• More than 53,000 UK patients underwent IVF treatment in 2024.
• IVF patient numbers have almost tripled since the early 1990s.
• IVF births now account for over 3% of all UK births.
• Approximately 1 in 31 babies born in the UK are conceived through IVF.
• Frozen embryo transfers made up 48% of IVF cycles.
• Fertility preservation cycles accounted for 17% of all treatment cycles.
• The average IVF birth rate per embryo transferred was 30%.
• Birth rates reached 38% among patients aged 18-34.
• NHS-funded IVF cycles fell to 28% across the UK and 25% in England.
• More than 13 million babies have now been born through IVF and assisted reproductive technologies worldwide.

Looking Ahead

The HFEA’s latest report demonstrates just how important IVF has become in helping people build their families. However, it also highlights ongoing challenges around affordability, inequalities in outcomes and access to NHS-funded treatment.

As IVF approaches its 50th anniversary, fertility treatment continues to evolve, helping more people than ever achieve their dream of parenthood. Yet for many patients, fair and equitable access remains one of the biggest challenges facing reproductive healthcare today.

At IVFbabble, we believe everyone deserves access to trusted information, support and guidance, regardless of where they live or how they build their family. Through Babble Connect, we’re helping patients explore fertility treatment options, understand IVF costs, learn about funding opportunities and connect with trusted experts around the world.

If you have any questions about this topic or anything else on IVFbabble, we’re here to support and guide you—our team and leading global experts are here to help. You’re not alone.