UK fertility treatment comparison tool with IVF data launched

People turning to fertility treatments such as IVF can now access an online tool to compare NHS funding in their region with the rest of Britain.

The dashboardLaunched by the regulator Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA), it is considered a world first and allows both those wishing to undergo processes such as IVF and ICSI, as well as researchers, to examine data from 1991, covering 665,690 patients.

Users of the dashboard can, among other things, filter the 34,725 new eggs or 14,665 new sperm donors by year, ethnicity and country of origin; investigate how many patients freeze or thaw their eggs annually – and the average age at which they do this; look at trends for multiple birth rates per year; and find out how IVF success rates vary by age.

The dashboard also highlights key statistics showing, for example, that the percentage of cycles receiving NHS funding has changed from 38% in 2009 to 26% in 2021, while the birth rate per embryo transferred has increased from 7% in 1991 to 23% in 2021 ..

Peter Thompson, the HFEA’s chief executive, said more than 70,000 fertility treatments are carried out in Britain every year.

He said: “As the fertility sector has progressed over the last thirty years, so too has the opportunity to improve the way we present and share data. Our new data dashboards mark the next step in even greater information transparency.

“For researchers, finding vital data on fertility treatments in Britain previously meant submitting queries one at a time. The launch of the dashboard will ensure that our wealth of data can be used to gain greater insight, which could in turn improve outcomes for everyone.”

Prof. Adam Balen, consultant in reproductive medicine at Leeds NHS Trust, welcomed the availability of the data and the HFEA’s transparent approach, noting that the HFEA data is the largest repository of information on IVF in the world.

He said: “The new dashboard gives researchers access to data for research and gives patients access to information to better inform them about their fertility journey and thereby demystify some of the complexities behind treatment outcome statistics.”

Stuart Lavery, consultant in reproductive medicine at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This new dashboard from the UK regulator should be welcomed by patients and clinics. The graphical and tabular format presents highly complex information in a simple and easy to understand manner.

“It is a great demonstration of how we can use information from the most comprehensive IVF database in the world to benefit patients seeking fertility treatment today.

“While I would recommend that my patients use this, I would also advise that the best way to understand your own personal situation and chances of success would be an individualized consultation with your fertility doctor.”