According to the latest ‘Annual Fertility Trends Report’ by HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority), more than a fifth of women having IVF in the UK are now over 40 years old. The proportion of all IVF cycles to patients 40+ was 21 per cent in 2019. For comparison, this proportion was just 10 per cent back in 1991. Figures also show an increase in single women and those in same-sex relationships undergoing IVF. More single women, those in same-sex relationships and those aged 40 and over are undergoing IVF, new figures show. The proportion of all IVF cycles to patients aged 40-plus has more than doubled from 10 per cent (689 cycles) in 1991 to 21 per cent (14,761 cycles) in 2019, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
The average age of women undergoing IVF was 35.7 years in 2019, while those needing donor insemination were typically aged 34.5 years. Both of these figures are older than the average age (30.7) of women having children nationally. The latest data also showed there were 2,435 IVF cycles (four per cent of the total) involving women in same-sex relationships in 2019 – a four-fold increase compared with 489 cycles in 2009 (one per cent). Among women with no partner, there were 1,470 cycles (two per cent) in 2019, up from 565 in 2009 (one per cent). It came as the number of IVF cycles carried out since 1991 in the UK reached more than 1.3 million. There have also been more than 260,000 donor insemination (DI) cycles and, taken together, the treatments have led to the birth of 390,000 babies. The HFEA said birth rates for all patients under 43 have got better year on year.
Innovation Minister Lord Bethell said: “I urge all women, especially those from black or ethnic minority backgrounds, the Midlands and East of England, who have experienced fertility treatment to share their experience with us through our call for evidence so we can create the first Government-led Women's Health Strategy built on your voices, to improve the health and wellbeing of all women across England.'
