Fertility treatments for single women: what you need to know

At abc IVF, we're delighted to be able to support single women throughout their fertility journey, and are proud to have helped many women start a family.

Going through fertility treatment, regardless of your relationship status, is a huge decision to make with lots of factors to consider - so to help you get started on your journey, we’ve answered the most frequent questions we get from single women looking to have their first baby.

Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) is the first option for many single women, so you should enquire with your doctor or consultant as to whether that is your best option before moving forward with IVF.

How much does IVF cost for a single woman?

Getting pregnant via IVF is a popular option for many women who have decided to have a baby while not in a relationship. But one key consideration for most women about to embark on this journey is the cost of treatment.

According to the HFEA, IVF can cost an average of £5,000 per cycle, though this can vary widely depending upon the clinic you choose – and the cost you pay at some clinics does not always include the price of medications and procedures such as blood and virology screening or stimulation medication and, importantly for single women, donor sperm.

At abc IVF however, our ‘IVF + Donor sperm’ is a comprehensive and affordable fertility package which even includes stimulation medication and monitoring blood tests. For details on what is included in the package click here.

Can a single woman have IVF on the NHS?

Currently NHS funding of IVF treatment for single women can vary regionally. Unfortunately, with different Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) across the nation differing in their eligibility requirements and the number of cycles they can offer, many single women are sadly not able to receive IVF on the NHS by virtue of where they live.

However, there are some areas of the UK that do offer NHS IVF funding for single women, so it is always worth speaking to your GP about the best options for you before you start your treatment.

How can single women choose a sperm donor?

Choosing a sperm donor may seem like a daunting process for women who are just about to embark upon their IVF journey – but thanks to our partnership with CREATE Fertility, we are able to offer our patients access to a wide selection of donors.

CREATE Fertility only accepts good quality of sperm from any donor, and always ensures that they pass a strict screening process regulated by the HFEA. We want to make sure our patients have the best possible chance of success, and good sperm is important for achieving this.

If you have particular characteristics you’d like from the sperm donor, we’ll work with you to try and find the right match for you – we have details of skin, eye and hair colour, as well as education and medical history. If we can’t find the right donor for you, we will also accept donor sperm from some external sperm banks or known donors – however this may incur an additional charge.

What other factors should single women consider for IVF?

When going through fertility as a single woman, it is particularly important to have a strong support network, and we recommend speaking to your friends and family about your plans before you get started.

As single women have to use donor gametes, it is also important that you ensure you understand the UK’s anonymity laws for donor treatment, so seek guidance from a trained counsellor so you can consider how you may want to talk to your future child about their conception.

It’s also important to understand that IVF is not always successful, so it is worth making sure you always have someone who you can talk to about any concerns you may have – and if you do experience any unsuccessful cycles, we can help you arrange a session with a trained specialist counsellor.

There are a number of important factors to consider when going through IVF as a single woman, but throughout your entire treatment journey with us, our staff will be there with you every step of the way: our aim is to make your time at abc ivf feel as personalised as possible, so you feel as comfortable and happy with your experience as you can be.

To find out more about how we could help you then download our IVF for single women brochure or call us on 0330 0580 800.