THE NUMBER of patients undergoing IVF has almost tripled over the past 30 years, from around 19,000 in the early 1990s to 53,000 in 2024, a new report from the UK’s Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) has revealed.
Patients Undergoing IVF on the Rise
IVF births continue to account for roughly one child in every classroom across the UK (one in 31), with 81% of babies born from IVF treatment using a patient’s own eggs and partner sperm.
Julia Chain, Chair, HFEA, London, UK, 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.
“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.”
Racial Disparities and Inequitable Access
As patient numbers increase, disparities persist.
Black and Asian patients aged 18 to 37 years continue to have lower IVF birth rates than those from White and Mixed ethnic backgrounds.
White patients have a birth rate of 36% per embryo transferred, whilst Black and Asian patients have a birth rate of just 30%.
For Black patients, this disparity continues despite starting IVF earlier than in previous years, with the average age at the time of treatment decreasing by around a year from 2019 to 2024.
Whilst the gap is starting to close for Black patients, they are still starting IVF almost a year later than Asian and White patients.
Further, patients from Mixed ethnic backgrounds are starting treatment a year later, increasing from 35 in 2019 to 36 in 2024.
Chain added: “The fertility sector has grown significantly over the past 30 years, yet disparities in access to, and outcomes of, treatment remain, and we will continue to highlight these through our data and ongoing call to action.”
Reference
Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority. Fertility treatment 2024: trends and figures. 2026. Available at: https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/publications/research-and-data/fertility-treatment-2024-trends-and-figures/. Last accessed: 2 July 2026.
Featured image: Fabián Montaño on Adobe Stock
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