One child in every classroom in the UK now born via IVF, new data shows

Around one child in every classroom in the UK is now born via IVF, new data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) shows.

The proportion of women and those with uteruses giving birth after undergoing in vitro fertilisation in the UK has increased by more than a third in a decade, as per new HFEA figures. In 2023, one in 32 births were the result of IVF, an increase of 34 per cent from 2013, when IVF births were one in 43.

In 2023, more than 52,000 patients underwent over 77,000 IVF cycles at licensed fertility clinics in the UK. That same year, around 20,700 babies were born as a result, up from 8,700 babies in 2000, as per the UK fertility regulator.

Births from IVF now make up a higher proportion of all births in the UK. In 2000, 1.3 percent of births were from IVF, while in 2023, 3.1 percent of births were from the procedure.

“This means around one in 32 UK births in 2023 were via IVF – roughly one child in every classroom – compared to one in 43 in 2013,” said the report, with the HFEA seeing an increase in same-sex couples undergoing IVF to support their family planning.

Julia Chain, chair of HFEA, said: “IVF is helping more people have babies including patients of different ages and family types. One in 32 of all UK births are from IVF…We are also seeing more single patients and female same-sex couples having IVF. These findings highlight the changing landscape of the UK fertility sector and how it could develop in the years to come.

“However, we are very concerned to see that Black and Asian patients continue to have lower IVF birth rates compared to other patient groups, and our recent national patient survey found that Asian and Black patients are less likely to report being satisfied with their fertility treatment.”

However, the number of IVF treatments funded by the NHS was reduced from 35 per cent in 2019 to 27 per cent in 2023 in the UK, decreasing the most in England, as per HFEA. The treatment is often referred to as a “postcode lottery” in terms of NHS funding.

Over half of IVF cycles in Scotland (54 per cent) were funded by the NHS in 2023, compared with 49 per cent in Northern Ireland, 33 per cent in Wales and 24 per cent in England. Furthermore, out of 80 percent of patients who spoke to a GP prior to starting treatment, most waited up to one year to start IVF, but 16 percent waited over two years.

Chain added: “We also encourage all primary care providers to ensure speedy referrals to specialist fertility services, if needed, to ensure the chances of success are as high as possible.”

Meanwhile, around 820 babies in the UK were born in 2023 as a result of donor insemination (DI) treatment. This procedure can help same-sex female couples become parents, as well as single women and those with a uterus.

The number of women and those with a uterus freezing their eggs is also on the rise, with egg freezing cycles increasing from 4,700 in 2022 to 6,900 in 2023. This method of fertility preservation is particularly considered by those who wish to have children later in life, trans men and non-binary people undergoing gender-affirming care, those in LGBTQ+ relationships and people with fertility issues including endometriosis.

If this story has affected you, call Fertility Network UK’s free support line on 01424 732361 from 10 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday.

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