The NHSThe National Health Service (NHS) is a free health care system in the UK. has to choose which couples they can fund for IVFThe letters stand for 'in vitro fertilisation'. This involves bringing the sperm and the egg together to create an embryo, which is placed into the woman's womb to increase the chance of giving birth.. If they cannot be treated on the NHS, some people chose to pay privately for treatment. This is very expensive, and costs between £5,000 and £10,000.
The chances of a successful pregnancy vary depending on the age of the woman involved. As a woman's age increases, the chance of conception decreases. In particular, the chances of a woman over the age of 43 becoming pregnant decreases to a 5% success rate.
Data from the NHS choices website shows that:
In 2022, the percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in a live birth was:
42% for women under 35
26% for women aged 35-37
18% for women aged 38-39
10% for women aged 40-42
5% for women aged 43-44
Less than 5% for women aged over 44
Advantages of IVF
It allows people to have babies of their own, who otherwise can't due to a variety of reasons.
It has a safe track record and has been used since 1978. The embryos can be screened for genetic diseases before being implanted.
Unused eggs can be used for research or donated to other couples.
Disadvantages of IVF
There are side effects form the drugs used, such as hot flushes and severe headaches.
There is a possibility of multiple births, which is dangerous for mother and babies.
Ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHS), when too many eggs develop in the ovaries.
The success rates are not high.
Ethical concerns
Some people worry about the ethical implications of IVF. They are concerned that in the future, couples may want 'designer babies' with 'desirable' qualities.
Also, the embryos that are not used may be destroyed. Some people consider embryos to be new lives.