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In-vitro fertilisation (IVF)

Read our guide below to help you understand in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).

You can also download a PDF version of this patient information by following the link on the right.

What is IVF?

It’s one of several techniques to help people with fertility problems have a baby. During IVF, an egg is collected from a woman’s ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. If an egg is successfully fertilised to become an embryo, this is then returned to the woman’s womb to grow and develop.

It can be done using:

  • your eggs and your partner’s sperm or
  • eggs and sperm from donors.

What does IVF involve?

There are 6 main stages to the procedure:

1. Suppressing your natural cycle with medication.
2. Helping your ovaries produce extra eggs: medication encourages your ovaries to produce more than 1 egg at a time.
3. Monitoring your progress: an ultrasound scan checks the development of the eggs by inserting a small probe into your vagina. Medications help them mature.
4. Egg collection: a needle is inserted through your vagina and into the ovaries to retrieve the eggs.
5. Fertilising the eggs: the eggs are mixed with the sperm for a few days fertilisation.
6. Embryo transfer: 1 or 2 fertilised eggs (embryos) are placed into your womb. Once the embryo(s) has been transferred into your womb, you’ll need to wait 2 weeks before taking a pregnancy test to see if the treatment has worked.

What are the risks involved with IVF?

It doesn’t always result in pregnancy and can be both physically and emotionally demanding. You should be offered counselling to help you through the process.

You may also have:

  • side effects from medications, for example, hot flushes and headaches#
  • multiple pregnancies (for example, twins or triplets), which can be dangerous for both the mother and the babies
  • an ectopic pregnancy where the embryo implants somewhere in the body outside of the womb. This most commonly happens in the fallopian tubes, resulting in a pregnancy that won’t progress and is dangerous
  • ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), where the ovaries over-react to the medications used during IVF. This can result in dizziness/ fainting, shortness of breath, nausea/ vomiting and abdominal pain. Severe cases can be dangerous to the mother.

What treatment is NHS-funded?

Funding for IVF is decided by the local health commissioners in each area. Currently, in this area, eligible patients/couples can have one NHS-funded cycle of either IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) as well as storage of the embryos produced in that cycle.

ICSI is a specific type of IVF where a single sperm is introduced into an egg. This may be needed for couples with specific concerns for example, a very low sperm count.

Which clinics can I choose from?

For self-funded IVF, you are free to choose any fertility clinic, anywhere.

For NHS-funded IVF, the designated (approved) fertility clinics in the Thames Valley area currently are:

1. Care Fertility, 67 The Avenue, Northampton, NN1 5BT – 01604 601606
2. Create Fertility St Pauls, 150 Cheapside, London EC2V 6ET – 0333 240 7300
Create Fertility Wimbledon, 3-5 Pepys Road, London SW20 8NJ– 0333 240 7300
Create Fertility Birmingham, Ground Floor, 6270 Bishops Court, Birmingham Business Park, Birmingham B37 7YB– 0333 240 7300
3. Nuffield Health Woking Hospital, Shores Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 4BY – 01483
227 800
4. Oxford Fertility Unit, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Oxford Business Park,
Oxford OX4 2HW – 01865 782800
5. Salisbury Fertility Centre, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Odstock Road,
Salisbury, Wilts SP2 8BJ – 01722 417224
6. Thames Valley Fertility, Clarion House, Norreys Drive, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 4BY
– 01628 882400
7. University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Centre for
Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry CV2 2DX
– 024 76968879

What do I need to consider when choosing a clinic?

Each person and clinic is different. The factors that you might consider when choosing an IVF unit may include the:

  • range of treatment offered.
  • eligibility criteria
  • cost
  • clinic’s live birth rates
  • HFEA rating
  • counselling provision
  • location – you’ll need multiple visits sometimes at short notice.

The HFEA is the UK’s regulator of fertility treatment and research. They work independently on behalf of the government to ensure that everyone undergoing fertility treatment receives high quality care.

Find out more about how to choose a clinic.

When will I be seen by the IVF clinic?

Once a referral has been made, the selected IVF clinic will contact you. The waiting time can vary and will depend on the individual clinic.

Useful links

More about IVF on the NHS website

Information about IVF from the government’s fertility regulator

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