Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

IVF is helping more people start or grow their families than ever before, with patient numbers almost tripling in the past 30 years. In 2024, around 53,000 patients had IVF at licensed fertility clinics in the UK.

Read more in our new report: bit.ly/HFEA-FertilityTreatment2024Report

Today, we’ve published our latest annual Fertility Trends report looking at data from fertility treatments in UK licensed clinics, mapping trends across three decades from 1991 to 2024.

Read the full report here: bit.ly/HFEA-FertilityTreatment2024Report

Have you heard of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)?

APS is a rare autoimmune disorder affecting around 1 in 2000 people in the UK. It increases the risk of blood clots in various parts of the body. In our latest blog, Zoe, a member of our Patient Engagement Forum, shares her experience living with the condition and the impact that it has had on her fertility journey.

Using an unregulated donor exposes people to serious medical, legal, and emotional risks that could have lifelong impacts.

These are just some of the main differences between regulated and unregulated donation, read our FAQs for more: https://bit.ly/HFEA-FAQs-Unregulated-Donation

An increasing number of exploitative or serial unregulated s***m donors are breaking the law and putting anyone using their donation, and any children born, at risk of serious harm:

🩺Health risks - Unregulated s***m donors will not have had rigorous health checks. This means a risk of infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, or of the donor passing on a genetic disorder or illness to the child.

⚖️Legal parenthood- The donor may be considered the ‘legal parent’. This can affect nationality, inheritance, and financial responsibilities and would have to be settled in court.

👤Family limits - There is no official record of who the donor is to these children. This increases the future risk of donor-conceived siblings unknowingly meeting and having relationships.

Learn more here: bit.ly/HFEA-FAQs-Unregulated-Donation

An increasing number of exploitative or serial unregulated s***m donors are breaking the law and putting anyone using their donation, and any children born, at risk of serious harm.

Find out more in our FAQs: https://bit.ly/HFEA-FAQs-Unregulated-Donation

We want to make sure that anyone thinking about unregulated s***m donation has all the facts before making decisions that could affect them and any future children.

Read our statement on unregulated s***m donation: https://bit.ly/HFEA-Statement-Unregulated-Donation

Deciding to start your fertility journey as an LGBTQ+ person or couple can be a long process. Getting the right emotional support is important, so it is essential to take the time to care for your own wellbeing.

Leave a comment and share what emotional support looks like to you.

It's Pride Month and we know the path to parenthood looks different for everyone 🌈

Fertility treatment can be an emotional journey, and having the right support can make a difference. If you're starting your own journey, organisations such as Stonewall, Two Dads UK, and LGBT Mummies provide continuous resources and support.

For more information on support: https://www.hfea.gov.uk/i-am/fertility-treatment-for-lgbt-people/

In our latest blog, a member of our Patient Engagement Forum writes about their experience navigating fertility treatment after their partner's elective vasectomy.

Read their story: https://bit.ly/HFEA-IVFStoryBlog

Our Patient Engagement Forum is made up of a pool of people, including patients, partners, surrogates, intended parents, donor-conceived people and parents of donor-conceived people.