More single women and female couples having IVF
According to statistics, one in six private or NHS fertility treatments in the UK is received by single women or female couples Fertility watchdog report.
The number of single women undergoing these treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), has increased from 1,400 in 2012 to 4,800 in 2022, while the number of female couples undergoing treatment has doubled to 3,300 over the same period.
Heterosexual couples still account for nearly 90% of all IVF treatments.
Many female couples and single women still face huge financial barriers to proving their infertility before accessing NHS-funded IVF services, a fertility charity has said.
The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reported that heterosexual couples underwent 47,000 IVF or donor insemination (DI) treatments in 2022, up from 45,300 in 2012.
Although more and more diverse groups of families are seeking fertility treatments, NHS funding for these treatments continues to fall.
Only 27% of IVF cycles are paid for by the NHS, down from 40% in 2012.
According to the HFEA, 86% of these NHS-funded cycles were for 18-39-year-olds receiving treatment for the first time.
Heterosexual couples in this position received NHS funding for 52% of cycles, with 16% of female couples and 18% of single women – both slight increases
The HFEA reports that IVF is “one of the most invasive and expensive treatments per cycle”.
But more and more female couples and single women are choosing it for the following reasons:
- Higher birth rate per cycle
- Reduce the risk of twin pregnancy
- Possibility of storing embryos for future treatments
Reciprocal in vitro fertilization (IVF), in which one partner provides the eggs (fertilized by a donor’s sperm) and the other carries the baby, is also becoming increasingly popular.
Overall, one in four IVF treatments resulted in childbirth, the report found.
But single women and female couples, who have higher IVF birth rates, are less likely to be treated for infertility problems than heterosexual couples, who may also be waiting for other treatments.
Chances of being eligible for NHS funding depend on where the patient lives.
In England, NHS funding depends on standards set by local comprehensive care boards, which vary widely, while in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there is a national policy.
In Scotland, 78% of IVF cycles are funded by the NHS, compared with 53% in Wales and 45% in England.
But fertility treatment for single women is not funded in Scotland.
The previous government said it would remove barriers to treatment for female couples in England, who in most areas had to pay for at least six cycles of artificial insemination before receiving NHS-funded IVF.
But charity Fertility Network UK said: “This is not yet happening and female same-sex couples and single women who want to be parents must pay for their own medical care if they can afford it.”
Stonewall, who advocates for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, said changes were urgently needed so that everyone who wanted a child had access to the same services
The HFEA said it encourages health care providers to “ensure that the information they provide represents the diversity of families and patients receiving care.”
