The number of single women in Britain undergoing fertility treatment to start a family has more than tripled in ten years, a report has found.
A total of 4,800 women without a partner underwent treatment with in vitro fertilization (IVF) or donor insemination (DI) in 2022. This represents a 243% increase from the 1,400 single women who received fertility treatment in 2012, according to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
With 400 single women having fertility treatment every month, this means they now receive almost one in ten of all fertility treatments (9%) in Britain, up from 4% in 2012.
The number of women in a same-sex couple undergoing fertility treatment has more than doubled, from 1,300 per year in 2012 to 3,300 in 2022, according to the UK fertility regulator.
The number of women in a heterosexual couple receiving treatment has also increased over the past decade, but only slightly, from 45,300 to 47,000.
“While most fertility treatments in Britain are carried out among opposite-sex couples, the number of female same-sex couples and single patients undergoing fertility treatments is increasing year on year,” the 17-page report says.
“The treatment these patient groups receive is also changing, with a notable shift from DI use to IVF. However, there are differences in access to treatment between different family types due to lower NHS funding.”
The HFEA report also details how egg freezing has become “one of the fastest growing treatments.” Between 2018 and 2022, most women in Britain who saved eggs for future use were single, accounting for 89% of all egg freezing cycles.
Only one in ten (10%) egg freezing treatments occurred in heterosexual couples, but this group was much more likely to thaw eggs before treatment compared to single women.
Most women who thawed eggs for treatment were in a heterosexual relationship (85%), followed by single women (13%) and women in a same-sex couple (2%).
Single women were on average 36 years old when they started IVF, with couples starting treatment at a slightly younger age, according to the report. Nearly nine in ten (89%) IVF treatments in 2022 were done by women in a heterosexual couple, the HFEA said.
The report also details how by 2022, one in six IVF cycles among lesbians was so-called “reciprocal IVF,” where one woman carries an embryo created from their partner’s egg.
The HFEA said IVF funding was least common for single patients and female same-sex couples compared to heterosexual couples in 2022.
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Around 16% of lesbian couples and 18% of single patients had NHS funding for their first IVF treatment, compared with 52% of heterosexual couples aged 18 to 39, the report found. Funding levels varied across the UK, the report said.
Julia Chain, chair of the HFEA, said: “In the UK, different family groups have access to a wide range of reproductive options as they begin their fertility journey.
“While the number of female same-sex couples and single patients undergoing fertility treatment continues to rise, we continue to see lower numbers of NHS-funded treatments.
“Although the HFEA does not regulate funding, we encourage those commissioning fertility services to review their eligibility criteria and consider whether these have a negative impact on access to treatment and we hope this report will spark further discussion.
“We also encourage providers to ensure that the information they provide represents the diversity of families and patients accessing treatment so that everyone can have an inclusive experience.”
Commenting on the report, Sharon Martin, interim director of Fertility Network UK, said: “Fertility services are vital in supporting the development of diverse family structures and Fertility Network welcomes the increased diversity in family formation in Britain.
“However, it is disappointing that many female same-sex couples and single women still face a huge financial hurdle to ‘prove’ their infertility before they can access NHS-funded IVF.”
For the first time, the report also highlighted the percentage of families using surrogacy. In 2022, heterosexual couples accounted for 39% of surrogacy cycles, while ‘other family types’ made up 61%.