The United Kingdom has established itself as an egg freezing research authority with easily accessible and free information provided by the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA is an independent regulator of fertility treatment in the UK involved in research amongst licensed fertility clinics. They recently published the first pilot national fertility patient survey in 2018 that provides further understanding of patient experiences and impacts. Fertility clinics within the UK must abide by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFE), which states that clinics wishing to participate in egg freezing must be licensed and undergo inspection by the HFEA.
Total Cost: £4,000 - £4,450 GBP
Single Cycle: £3,000 - £4,100 GBP
Medication: £1,600 - £2,000 GBP
Annual Storage: £250 - £350 GBP
Prevalence:
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) recorded more than 4,200 egg storage cycles in 2021, almost double the 2,500 in 2019. In addition, 63% more women underwent egg freezing cycles in 2021 than in 2019. The data also shows that the number of egg freezing cycles has more than doubled in the past five years, with a 29% increase from 2018 to 2019 alone. “‘More women than ever are choosing to freeze their eggs with over 2,000 treatment cycles a year in the UK today,” stated Clare Ettinghausen, HFEA Director of Strategy & Corporate Affairs.
Popular Egg Freezing Clinics in the UK:
London Women’s Clinic - London
New Life Clinic - Epsom
Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine - Bristol
Lister Fertility Clinic - London
TFP Oxford Fertility - Oxford
Herts & Essex Fertility - Cheshunt
For Citizens:
Elective egg freezing is not covered by governmental health plans in the UK (otherwise known as the National Health Services, or NHS). The NHS may cover some costs if deemed medically necessary.
Some companies and firms, such as Apple, Facebook, Meta, Spotify, Goldman Sachs, Cooley, LinkedIn, and Monzo, may offer subsidies to their employees for fertility treatments including egg freezing. This is expanding to additional companies such as Lululemon, Space NK, Co-ops, and M&S.
Laws:
As of 1 July 2022, women can store their eggs for up to 55 years, providing they reconsent every 10 years. (Previously, there was a law that required eggs to be destroyed after ten year of storage.)
For Non-Citizens:
Some clinics require their patients to go through counseling.
No financial payment plans are offered to international patients.
Resources:
HFEA provides a list of of all regulated Fertility Clinics in the UK and a dedicated resource to answering egg freezing questions.
HFEA has created a new data dashboard to find statistics and data on different fertility treatments to increase information transparency.
Fertifa is a company that offers reproductive healthcare benefits to employers so that they may offer support and resources to their employees.
Know your egg count?
Get 25% off AMH testing with promo code FREEZE25. AMH or anti-mullerian hormone corresponds to your ovarian reserve or egg count. AMH declines with age. Knowing your AMH now can help you think about whether egg freezing is right for you. Testing is available in Ireland, the UK, & the USA.
Get straightforward pricing information for egg freezing clinics in the UK.
Explore Egg Freezing in Other Countries
