ICSI
Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) involves injecting a single sperm directly
into an egg in order to fertilise it. The fertilised egg (embryo) is then transferred
to the woman’s womb.
Insemination
The best quality sperm are selected then inserted into the womb at the woman’s most
fertile time. This can be with partner (IUI) or donor sperm (DI).
IVF
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) literally means ‘fertilisation in glass’ giving us
the familiar term ‘test tube baby’.
During the IVF process, eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilised with sperm
in the laboratory. The fertilised egg (embryo) is later placed in the woman’s womb.
GIFT
A procedure in which eggs are retrieved from a woman, mixed with sperm and immediately
replaced in one or other of the woman's fallopian tubes so that they fertilise inside
the body (in vivo).
PGD
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a technique that enables people with
a specific inherited condition in their family to avoid passing it on to their children.
It involves checking the genes of embryos created through IVF for this genetic condition.
PGS
PGS (also known as aneuploidy screening) involves checking the chromosomes of embryos
conceived by in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
for common abnormalities. This avoids having abnormal embryos transferred to the
womb during IVF or ICSI.
Consistent with national average live birth rate
There is no statistical difference between this clinic’s success rate and the national
average. Any small difference between the clinic and the national average may just
be down to chance.
Above national average live birth rate
This clinic’s success rate is significantly better than the national average. We
can be confident that the difference between the clinic and the national average
is unlikely to have occurred by chance.
There are a range of reasons why a clinic may have a higher success rate. Clinics
have different treatment policies and practices. Some clinics may treat proportionately
fewer patients with difficult fertility problems than the national average, which
may increase the clinic’s success rate.
Below national average live birth rate
This clinic’s success rate is significantly lower than the national average. We
can be confident that the difference between the clinic and the national average
is unlikely to have occurred by chance.
There are a range of reasons why a clinic may have a lower success rate. Clinics
have different treatment policies and practices. Some clinics may treat more patients
with difficult fertility problems than the national average, which may lower the
clinic’s success rate.
HFEA targets for single births
The HFEA introduced a policy in January 2009 to minimise the proportion of multiple
births following IVF and ICSI treatment. The policy promotes the birth of a single
baby as the safest outcome of fertility treatment.
The HFEA has set progressively higher targets over recent years. From January 2009
to March 2010 the target for single births was 76% (ie a maximum of 24% multiple
births). From April 2010 to March 2011 the target was 80%. From April 2011 to September
2012 the target was 85% and from October 2012 onwards the target is 90%.
The clinic data we present on Choose a Fertility Clinic relate to treatments which
took place before the current 90% target. The target displayed is the most appropriate
for comparison with the data in the tables.
Proportion of single live births
This is the proportion of single births resulting from all types of embryo transfers at this clinic (IVF, ICSI, fresh and frozen).
This data has been presented in this form from May 2013.
IVF and ICSI
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) literally means ‘fertilisation in glass’ giving us
the familiar term ‘test tube baby’. During the IVF process, eggs are removed from
the ovaries and fertilised with sperm in the laboratory. The fertilised egg (embryo)
is later placed in the woman’s womb.
Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) involves injecting a single sperm directly
into an egg in order to fertilise it. The fertilised egg (embryo) is then transferred
to the woman’s womb.
Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) cycles
The HFEA only started collecting data on IUI cycles with partner sperm in July 2007.
Therefore the number of IUI cycles presented here is only for the period from July
–December 2007. We only collect pregnancy data on IUI cycles not live birth data.
DI
Donor insemination (DI) uses sperm from a donor to help the woman become pregnant.
Sperm donors are screened for sexually transmitted diseases and some genetic disorders.
In DI, sperm from the donor is placed into the neck of the womb (cervix) at the
time when the woman ovulates.
