Data published on Tuesday by the UK’s fertility regulator revealed that the number of single women undergoing IVF or artificial insemination has tripled over the past decade [1], from 1,400 in 2012 to 4,800 in 2022.
Experts said this reflected improved NHS access to fertility treatment for single women, as well as changing social norms, and difficulties finding a partner during the Covid pandemic.
The report by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) found that 6 per cent of all IVF cycles are now in women without a partner, who use a sperm donor instead.
On average, single women are 36 when undergoing IVF, which is slightly older than the average age of 35 for couples undergoing fertility treatment. However, the HFEA said single women were increasingly opting to have treatment at a younger age, down from an average of 38 in 2008, which reflects “a reduction in social stigma” around having babies alone.