Revealed: Fertility treatments are becoming increasingly popular among single women and same-sex couples

The number of single women and same-sex couples undergoing fertility treatment has tripled in a decade, new figures show.

Between 2012 and 2022, the number of single women using IVF or donor insemination increased from 1,400 to 4,800.

And same-sex female couples embarking on fertility treatment increased from 1,300 to 3,300 over the same period, according to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

This means that single women now account for 6 percent of all IVF treatments – or more than one in 20 women – compared to 2 percent ten years earlier. Experts believe that the increase in numbers and the drop in the average age of 36 is likely because the figure is more socially acceptable than it was a decade ago.

The report highlights how egg freezing is one of the “fastest growing” treatments. Typically undertaken by those who wish to keep their fertility options open later in life, single women made up 90% of participants as of 2018.

Only one in ten egg freezing treatments were for heterosexual couples, but this group was more likely to thaw eggs for treatment than single women.

In 2022, one in six IVF cycles among female couples was called “reciprocal IVF”, in which a woman carries an embryo created from her partner’s egg.

The report also includes for the first time surrogacy, which was used in 0.4 percent of all IVF treatments in 2022. Heterosexual couples made up 39 percent of them, while “other types family” – such as all-male couples – made up the remaining 61 percent.

Overall, almost nine in 10 (89%) IVF treatments in 2022 took place among opposite-sex couples, the HFEA said.

The authors highlighted that single women and same-sex couples had the highest birth rates after undergoing treatment, with a rate per embryo transferred of 40 percent, compared to 35 percent for heterosexual couples.

The different rates are likely due to reasons for IVF, as opposite-sex couples are more likely to use the treatment due to infertility concerns.

NHS funding for IVF in 2022 was least common for single patients and same-sex female couples – at 18 and 16 per cent respectively – compared to 52 per cent for heterosexual couples aged 18 to 39 .

Julia Chain, president of the HFEA, said: “In the UK, different family groups can access a wide range of reproductive options when they begin fertility.

journey. While the number of female same-sex couples and

As single patients receiving fertility treatment continue to rise, we continue to see falling rates of NHS funded treatment.

She added: “While 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 healthcare providers to ensure the information they provide represents the diversity of families and patients accessing treatment, so everyone can have an inclusive experience.”