KEY FINDINGS

• Of 125 UK fertility clinics analysed for egg freezing pricing, 94 (75%) offer the service; London has the highest concentration (31 clinics).

• Single-cycle costs range from £2,175 to £6,995, with an average of £3,947 - up from £3,320 in 2020.

• Multi-cycle packages, discounted and insured cycles are available but total costs remain significantly higher than advertised.

• Advertised package prices often exclude essential components such as: ovarian stimulation medication: pre-treatment tests, egg storage and other costs (HFEA fees, sedation, counselling).

• Final treatment costs can double or triple advertised package prices.

• Egg storage policies vary: 64 clinics include storage; others charge extra or do not specify.

• Most clinics do not specify the costs of using stored eggs (including thawing, fertilisation, and embryo transfer), and where they are reported, both the costs and the way they are presented vary significantly.

• Terminology and reporting of costs are inconsistent, making reliable comparisons across clinics impossible.

• Overall, there is substantial variability in pricing, storage policies, and transparency, complicating patient decision-making and financial planning.

This submission responds to the Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry on egg donation and freezing and draws on findings from ongoing research examining the clarity and transparency of pricing across UK fertility clinics. Focusing in particular on egg freezing, the submission addresses the question of whether the existing legislative framework, including the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, is effective in safeguarding the best interests of those considering or undergoing egg freezing.

The findings indicate that limited regulation of the commercial aspects of fertility care raises significant concerns about women’s ability to access clear and accurate information on costs and pricing structures before approaching a clinic or comparing options across providers when making decisions about egg freezing.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Current pricing practices for egg freezing services limit patients’ ability to make fully informed decisions, particularly for elective (non-medical) procedures.
The findings highlight the need for greater transparency in how costs are presented, including clearer communication about what is included in advertised packages and the potential for additional charges.
Clinics could improve clarity by consistently stating which components, such as medication, monitoring, and storage, are included, and by providing ranges for costs where variability is expected.
Better transparency would help patients understand the likely total costs, support more informed decision-making, and reduce confusion when comparing clinics.
The Women and Equalities Committee might advocate for changes to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act to protect women and patients from commercial practices in the fertility market.
y/

About the research

The insights presented in this report are drawn from an ongoing, unpublished study on the transparency and clarity of fertility treatment pricing in the UK. A systematic analysis was conducted across 201 identified fertility clinics, alongside 29 research and storage facilities. Between February and March 2025, all publicly available pricing documents were collected from the 126 clinics that provided a clear price list (for details on the remaining clinics, see the overview in the box on page 4). While the broader study examines fertility treatment pricing in general, the analysis presented here focuses specifically on egg freezing services, including both prices and pricing structures. The findings highlight the geographical distribution of clinics offering egg freezing and the variation in how costs are presented.

Context

Medical egg freezing was originally developed to preserve the fertility of women undergoing treatments that may compromise reproductive function, such as chemotherapy, or those at risk of premature ovarian insufficiency. By contrast, elective (or non-medical) egg freezing is a more recent, market-oriented health service that enables women to cryopreserve eggs in anticipation of age-related fertility decline and the increased reproductive risks associated with later maternal age.

Data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) show a sustained growth in demand for egg freezing, with treatment cycles increasing from fewer than 400 in 2011 to over 6,900 in 2023, accounting for approximately 7% of all fertility treatment cycles (HFEA, 2025). While HFEA data do not distinguish between medical and non-medical indications for egg storage, at least 16% of egg freezing cycles between 2018 and 2022 were undertaken for medical reasons (HFEA, 2024). Despite the rapid expansion of non-medical egg freezing, the proportion of patients returning to use their stored eggs remains low (HFEA, 2024).

A key concern relates to the age at which egg freezing takes place, as age at freezing is a major determinant of future success. HFEA data for 2023 indicate that a substantial proportion of egg freezing cycles (59.9%) were performed in women aged 35 and over, when success rates are already declining.

Age at freezing	Egg freezing cycles, N (%)
18–24	287 (4.2%)
25–29	417 (6.2%)
30–34	2,012 (29.7%)
35–37	2,340 (34.5%)
38–39	1,093 (16.1%)
40–42	628 (9.3%)
Total (2023)	6,777 (100%)

Egg freezing across the UK

Analysis of price lists from 125 clinics shows that 94 (75.2%) offer egg freezing, while 31 (24.8%) make no mention of it. Of the 94 clinics providing this service, 84 are located in England, with a notable concentration in London (31 clinics). The geographical distribution of these clinics is summarised in the following table.

Location	Number of clinics
London	31
North West	11
South East	11
South West	7
West Midlands	7
Yorkshire and the Humber	7
East Midlands	5
Scotland	4
Wales	4
East of England	3
North East	2
Channel Island	1
Northern Ireland	1
Total	94

Costs analysis

Out of the 94 clinic materials analysed, two list treatments but not prices, one omits the cost of egg freezing, and one offers only a three-cycle multipackage (see next section).

Among the remaining 90 clinics, the cost of a single cycle of egg freezing ranges from £2,175 to £6,995, with an average of £3,947. This represents a notable increase compared with the last available study (Gürtin and Tiemann, 2021), which reported that in 2020 the cost ranged from £2,800 to £3,895, with an average of £3,320.

However, these average costs are of limited value, as the contents of each package vary considerably. Packages most commonly include:

• Monitoring during ovarian stimulation (typically ultrasound scans, often accompanied by blood tests)

• The egg collection procedure, frequently including sedation or anaesthesia

• Egg freezing or vitrification

Some clinics also offer pre-treatment screening tests, most commonly for HIV and hepatitis B and C. In most cases, these tests are charged separately, sometimes alongside additional tests such as rubella and chlamydia/gonorrhoea.

Only four clinics appear to include ovarian stimulation medication in the package cost, although the wording is often ambiguous and it is unclear whether all required medication (e.g., “stimulation” or “in-treatment basic medication”) is included. Most clinics explicitly state that medication costs are charged in addition to the package. Several clinics do not report any specific cost, advising that this should be discussed during consultation. Many report that medication costs are difficult to predict, as they vary substantially between patients, and instead provide ranges. Reported ranges vary from £350 to £3,000 per cycle.

Egg storage costs are included in 64 clinics, while the remaining clinics either charge extra or do not specify the cost. Included storage durations vary considerably: most clinics limit storage to the first year, a few offer between 2 and 5 years, and one clinic provides up to 10 years of storage. One clinic charges different prices depending on the length of storage: £3,110 for 3 years, £3,300 for 7 years, and £3,600 for 10 years. Three clinics report annual storage costs, ranging from £250 to £400 (average £376.50), while two clinics offer monthly charges of £30. Another clinic offers £300 for 1 year, £750 for 3 years, and £1,000 for 5 years.

Of concern, this clinic notes: “It is your responsibility to ensure that your consent is valid for the period of storage you opt for and/or is maintained over time. Without valid consent, specimens can be destroyed regardless of payment status and refunds will not be offered” (Clinic 69).

When pre-treatment tests, medication, storage and other additional costs such as Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) fees, sedation, and counselling sessions are included, the final cost of treatment can increase substantially. This is particularly evident when clinics report both the advertised package price and the estimated total cost or the typical final cost range for a full cycle:

Package price	Total cost / range
£3,200	£6,265-£6,765
£3,229.8	£3,700 and £5,550
£3,350	£7,665 – £8,315
£3,950	£6,240
£4,005	£6,240

Previous research (Gürtin and Tiemann, 2021) also highlighted these additional costs. In 2020, the average extra cost amounted to £923 – almost one-third more than the advertised average price (£3,320). In 2025, the estimated total costs reported by clinics suggest that the final cost for a single cycle can double or even triple the advertised package price.

Some clinics explicitly acknowledge this complexity in their price lists: “When comparing clinics, patients should know what each charges for an egg freezing cycle but it is complicated to forecast the cost because a cycle can progress in a variety of different ways. More significantly, different clinics have different philosophies on what they choose to include in their egg freezing cycle costs and what additional items they say patients can, or must, add. The total cost can end up being hugely different from the cycle price initially advertised” (Clinic 74).

Although this extract might suggest that prices can be compared, a reliable comparison of clinic costs is currently impossible. In many cases, the absence of mention does not reliably indicate inclusion or exclusion, and terminology is highly inconsistent – particularly for tests, medication, and monitoring.

Multiple packages, discounted and insured cycles

In addition to single-cycle packages, six clinics offer two-cycle packages ranging from £4,995 to £7,499. Seventeen clinics offer three-cycle packages, with costs ranging from £7,849 to £18,700. Only one clinic offers exclusively a three-cycle package (£9,500) without the option to purchase a single cycle, and only a few clinics offer both two- and three-cycle packages. Some multi-cycle packages include time limitations: in most cases, the second cycle must be used within six months and the third within 12 months from the first cycle.

Another 17 clinics offer additional subsequent cycles at discounted rates compared with the first cycle, within a specified period (typically 4–12 months from the previous cycle), ranging between £2,200 and £3,700. In some cases, the discount can apply to any subsequent cycle, but often the discounted price refers specifically to the second or third cycle.

Notably, the additional costs discussed in the previous section also apply to discounted cycles. For example, nine clinics advertise a discounted second cycle at £2,750 and a third cycle at £2,300 (compared with £3,200 for the first cycle). Based on package prices alone, the total cost for two cycles would be £3,200 + £2,750 equals £5,950, while the reported average total treatment costs including additional expenses are £8,500 to £11,500. Similarly, the total for three cycles would be £3,200 + £2,750 + £2,300 equals £8,250, whereas the reported average total treatment costs are £10,800 to £15,800. This means that the actual cost of two or three cycles can significantly exceed the advertised package prices, in some cases nearly doubling the sum of the advertised amounts.

One clinic offers a free egg freezing package, and another offers a significantly reduced cost (£950 to £1,160 instead of £4,005) for egg sharers.

Finally, around one in five clinics offer insured or guarantee-based egg freezing packages. Sixteen clinics offer a package guaranteeing the collection of up to 20 eggs over up to four cycles for £8,070. One clinic offers a three-cycle package, available to patients up to the age of 36, funded through an external company and priced at £7,849, excluding additional costs such as consultations, screening, and medication. The package includes a refund scheme linked to the number of eggs collected, described as follows: “The egg freezing plan offer you the benefit of a refunds available at all stages of treatment, please see below: If you achieve 20 eggs in your first cycle, you will be refunded 50% of your plan fee back; If you achieve 20 eggs within your first and second cycle combined, you will receive 20% of your plan fee back; If you do not achieve 20 eggs across the three cycles of treatment, then we will refund you £50 for each egg you did not achieve. For example, if you achieve 14 eggs across three cycles, we will refund you 6 x £50 = £300” (Clinic 72).

Costs of using stored eggs

The majority of clinics do not mention any costs associated with the future use of stored eggs. Only just over one third (34 clinics) specify what women can expect to pay when they return to use their eggs. Among these clinics, the cost of egg thawing cycles ranges from £2,100 to £6,600, with an average cost of £3,485. As with egg freezing packages, however, what is included in these prices varies considerably, making meaningful comparison impossible.

Of the 34 clinics that specify the costs of future egg thawing cycles, half (17 clinics) state that medication is included in the package price. The remaining clinics either explicitly indicate that medication is excluded or provide no information. Most clinics specify that intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) will be used during thaw cycles and that this is included in the package price, while four clinics provide no information on fertilisation methods. Only one clinic clearly explains why ICSI is required: “The egg thawing package is for patients who wish to use their frozen eggs to generate embryos and then have an embryo transfer. Because of the way that eggs are frozen, they must then be inseminated by ICSI, which is included in the package price. Your menstrual cycle will be controlled with medication and your eggs thawed at the appropriate time in your cycle. They will then be inseminated with ICSI. Any embryos that develop will be grown in the laboratory for up to five days, the best one or two transferred, and any other good quality embryos can be frozen” (Clinic 77).

Only a small number of clinics specify whether future embryo storage is included in the egg thawing package. Where this information is provided, it appears that several or all eggs may be inseminated at the same time, resulting in surplus embryos for cryopreservation. However, it remains unclear why this practice is adopted, and whether storage fees already paid for eggs cover subsequent embryo storage, or whether this represents always an additional cost.

Examples illustrate the extent of variation in thawing packages. The least expensive package (£2,100) includes: “review consultation, standard medication, treatment monitoring scans, thawing of eggs, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), embryoscope time lapse-monitoring of your embryos, single embryo transfer, pregnancy scan, counselling sessions (if required), vitrification of surplus embryos and first year of storage (Clinic 178). By contrast, the most expensive package (£6,600) provides limited detail: “Thawing of frozen eggs and fertilisation with ICSI and embryo transfer £6,600. Additional costs for Embryo Screening (PGS) as per the pricelist, if requested. Thawing of frozen eggs, fertilisation with ICSI, freezing of good embryos and frozen embryo transfer £9,350” (Clinic 110).

Notably, one clinic charges £4,200 for an egg thawing package when eggs were collected through an egg freezing cycle, but reduces the cost to £2,800 when eggs were frozen during an IVF cycle. No explanation is provided for this difference in pricing.

Why this matters

Egg freezing is a rapidly expanding and ongoing phenomenon in the UK. Treatment cycles increased from 2,567 in 2019 to 6,932 in 2023, representing a 170% increase (HFEA, 2023), with particularly strong growth among women aged 35 and over.

The majority of egg freezing cycles are elective and undertaken by women seeking to preserve future fertility, with treatment typically funded privately rather than through the NHS.

Previous research has raised significant concerns about how egg freezing services are marketed by UK clinics, including the framing of success, risk, and benefit (Gürtin and Tiemann, 2021).

The findings of this report add to these concerns by demonstrating substantial lack of clarity and consistency in pricing structures, including the costs of treatment, storage, and future use of eggs.

This lack of transparency limits informed decision-making and exposes women to financial uncertainty and potential exploitation.

The findings on egg freezing reflect a wider pattern of limited transparency in fertility care pricing. This is particularly concerning given that, in 2023, 74% of fertility treatment cycles in the UK were privately funded by patients (HFEA, 2025), leaving patients highly exposed to financial exploitation and potentially misleading commercial practices.

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