An innovative online tool has been introduced by the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for individuals considering fertility treatments like IVF in the UK
This pioneering dashboard, a global first, empowers prospective IVF and ICSI patients, as well as researchers, to delve into comprehensive data spanning from 1991 to the present, encompassing 665,690 patients.
Key features of the dashboard include the ability to filter 34,725 new egg and 14,665 new sperm donors by year, ethnicity, and country of origin. Users can explore statistics such as the annual number of patients freezing or thawing their eggs, along with the average age for such procedures. The tool also provides insights into trends related to multiple birth rates per year and the variation in IVF success rates by age.
The dashboard unveils noteworthy statistics, revealing changes in NHS funding for cycles (from 38% in 2009 to 26% in 2021) and a rise in the birth rate per transferred embryo (from 7% in 1991 to 23% in 2021).
Peter Thompson, CEO of HFEA, emphasized the significance of the tool, given the more than 70,000 fertility treatments conducted annually in the UK. He highlighted the evolution of the fertility sector over the past three decades and the dashboard’s role in enhancing information transparency.
Stuart Lavery, a consultant in reproductive medicine at University College London hospitals NHS foundation trust, commended the dashboard’s user-friendly format for presenting complex information, providing patients and clinics with valuable insights. However, he also recommended personalized consultations with fertility doctors for a deeper understanding of individual situations.
The dashboard received praise from Prof Adam Balen, a consultant in reproductive medicine at Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust, who lauded HFEA’s commitment to transparency. He highlighted the dashboard’s potential for researchers to access vital data, contributing to a better understanding of fertility treatments and ultimately improving outcomes for patients.
