Single women hoping to start a family through IVF are facing disproportionately long NHS waiting times, according to the UK's fertility regulator. Julia Chain, chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), warned that delays in gynaecological diagnoses and treatments are preventing women from beginning fertility treatment promptly, reducing their chances of success.
Research shows that IVF success rates decline with age. For women under 35, around a third of cycles lead to a live birth, compared to a quarter for those aged 35 to 37 and a fifth for those aged 38 to 39. Chain noted that post-pandemic backlogs mean many patients requiring pre-IVF interventions face long waits, making them older when they start treatment. 'Time really is of the essence,' she said.
Gynaecology waiting times in England have trebled over the past decade, with women now waiting an average of four months for a first hospital appointment. Chain, speaking at the Progress Educational Trust (PET) annual conference, said treatments such as fibroid removal are often deprioritised because they are not life-threatening, creating a 'hidden cost' as delays lead to more IVF cycles and higher NHS expenditure.
One patient, Dr Antonia Harrison, 32, from Leeds, was referred for diagnostic tests in March last year and told the waiting time was 52 weeks with over 950 patients ahead of her. She opted to pay privately for appointments and tests, costing £1,100, allowing her to start NHS-funded IVF two months later. 'It's sad and frustrating that it's only an option for those who can afford it,' she said.
Sarah Norcross, director of PET, said fertility treatments may not be deemed 'urgent' by the health service, but for patients they are a matter of considerable urgency. An NHS spokesperson said staff are working to reduce backlogs and that the waiting list has decreased for the first time since the pandemic began.
