Nearly three-quarters of fertility patients are being offered unnecessary add-on treatments, according to a report.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) – the UK’s independent regulator of fertility treatment and research using human embryos – said almost all additional tests, treatments or emerging technologies were “not proven to increase the chance of having a baby for most patients”.
They called the findings of their 2024 national patient survey “concerning”.
The regulator, which gathered the experiences of 1,500 patients in the UK, also highlights long waits for some patients, particularly those seeking NHS care.
Around a quarter of patients had used donor eggs, sperm or embryos in treatment, and those who sought donor sperm were slightly more likely to be treated using sperm imported from overseas, with 51% coming from abroad.
Most said there was an increased choice and more information about the donor as being among the reasons why they chose sperm from foreign donors.
In the UK, one donor’s sperm can only be used to create up to 10 families, but the 10-family limit does not apply abroad, the HFEA said.
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The report found only half (52%) of all patients had the effectiveness of add-on treatments explained to them, with 37% told about any risks linked to add-on care.
The report found the use of endometrial scratching, where the lining of the womb is scratched before an embryo is implanted, decreased last year.
But pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), which is the checking of embryos for abnormalities in the number of chromosomes, increased from 7% in 2021 to 13% in 2024, despite the HFEA saying there is “insufficient evidence” of its effectiveness in improving treatment outcomes.
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The report found most patients began treatment between seven months to a year after first seeing their GP about their fertility problems, but 16% of patients waited for over two years.
NHS-funded patients reported longer wait times before starting treatment compared to those who paid privately, with 53% of private patients starting treatment within a year compared to 35% of NHS patients.
The regulator said its data shows the number of NHS-funded treatment cycles is falling and accounted for just 27% in 2022.
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Julia Chain, chairwoman of the HFEA, said: “It’s disappointing to see a significant number of patients are still using add-ons and emerging technologies, and particularly disappointing that only half of patients had the effectiveness explained to them, let alone the risks.
She added: “We are also concerned that NHS-funded patients are waiting longer than self-funded patients to start fertility treatment.
“The delays faced by NHS patients highlight ongoing issues relating to the provision of specialist care for women.
“As part of our response to the government’s 10-year plan, we want to see a much shorter time for patients to begin fertility treatment once they have received advice or a referral from their GP.”
