The subject of fertility is complex and choosing a clinic can be overwhelming, but if you’ve found your way here, you’re in a good place to start. There are various things to consider when choosing a clinic. Cost is high on the list, our community is unanimous in their agreement that treatment is expensive, and we know that with the right approach this can be managed efficiently. Outcomes are always going to be of interest, though success rates are best used as a rough guide rather than solid prediction. And the experience of others is key, particularly those who have the most in common with you, from their health profile to their personal priorities and the stage they are at in their fertility investigations. 

To begin, it’s helpful to have as clear an understanding as possible of your own medical history and potential fertility treatments (our guides on PCOS, Endometriosis, AMH, IVF might be useful background reading). It’s then important to do as much research on the clinics as you need to feel comfortable. The more informed and prepared you are, the easier it will be to make decisions about your treatment and the more in control you’ll feel throughout. With that in mind, we’ve put together some key considerations to set you off on the right path to find the clinic that’s best for you.

Finding out what fertility treatment you’re eligible for is the first point of call. Eligibility – whether on the NHS, through your private health insurance, or even if you are paying out of pocket – can depend on a number of factors including your family set up, location, hormone levels [link to AMH guide], and the opinion of your clinician. It’s complex and can be confusing. 

You can quickly and easily find out whether you’re eligible for NHS fertility treatment using our calculator, here. It’s worth bearing in mind that there is a waiting time for those eligible for NHS treatment, so either way, you might like to speak to private fertility clinics to further investigate your options.

As mentioned above, the HFEA is our go-to resource for setting the industry standard and holding fertility clinics to account. They carry out inspections every two years, assessing details that might not be at the forefront of your mind when choosing a fertility clinic, to ensure safe practices and processes. 

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in the UK and their inspection reports are another good reference point. Outside the UK there are different regulators and systems, so it’s important to be aware and check these details to ensure you’re choosing a regulated fertility clinic abroad.

This one is high on our list because, when starting your search for a fertility clinic, one of the best entry points is to read about others' experiences. Beyond the numbers (we’ll get to cost and data below), location and list of treatments, you’ll get a true sense of what it would be like to be treated at a particular clinic by hearing from those who have done exactly that. Nothing compares to first-hand experience – it’s why we’ve grounded ourselves completely in this community, allowing the people who know to power you through your fertility treatment. 

The ratings, reviews, advice and feedback of those who have already been to the clinics you’re considering is vital, revealing insights about empathetic staff, hidden costs, ongoing support, ease of communication, real life practicalities, and much more. Everyone’s situation is different, there will be successful and unsuccessful outcomes, and unique challenges along the way, but these shared experiences can really help to fill in the gaps that other data can’t when it comes to choosing a clinic. 

Better still, if you can hear from those who have the most in common with you when it comes to clinical background, personal priorities and stage of treatment, you’ll be in an even stronger position when it comes to choosing a clinic. This is something we’re able to facilitate in our Clinic Matcher, where we include everything you need to compare clinics, from cost to experience and outcomes, so you can easily see the differences (more on this at the end of the article).

The reality of fertility treatment is that it’s expensive, and it can be one of the biggest investments you’ll make. That said, we’re working with fertility clinics to improve the transparency of the costs involved, and making the preliminary test process more cost effective where possible. Costs are set out clearly on each of our clinic pages as advertised costs and estimated costs, plus we’ve created an industry benchmark with everything that’s likely to be included in a treatment package, making it easier for you to compare and spot any likely additional costs. 

When choosing a fertility clinic, you need to think about cost in two ways: actual cost and cost transparency. HFEA, the fertility market regulator, has requested that clinics make their pricing information available to the public. However, clinics all have a slightly different approach to this, with some providing packages and others pricing everything individually. In addition, everyone's fertility journey is unique – some might need more medication than others, additional scans or procedures, or more cycles of treatment, which all impacts the cost. Taking your time to financially plan your fertility treatment will pay off; compare costs between clinics, look into what your private health insurance covers if you have it, and explore different financing options. In your initial conversations with clinics, cost should definitely be up for discussion. Until then you can read more about the cost of IVF treatment in the UK, here.

It’s understandable that success rates are of interest when choosing a fertility clinic – however, these are best used as a rough guide rather than a prediction or guarantee, as everyone’s experience will be different. Clinics themselves use different measures of success, so comparison is tricky and, again, transparency can be an issue. HFEA, the fertility market regulator, is the only reliable source for success rates and the one we refer to for the clinical outcomes that are detailed on our clinic pages so you can easily see and compare these statistics. When choosing the clinic that’s best for you, look for success rates comparable to the national average, which we visualise in the graphs on each clinic page.

It probably goes without saying that location will be important to consider when choosing your fertility clinic. Treatment involves regular scans, tests and appointments – going in on a near daily basis at certain stages is to be expected. So, a clinic that is convenient for you will make a difference to your overall experience. 

However, we would encourage you to take into account the details on cost, experience and outcome at each clinic first – and look at location as a secondary factor. This is because if you only look at the clinics closest to you, you might miss out on one that is a much better fit for your specific requirements a few miles away. Many of our community have confirmed that this is the case. Those who are now in their second or third cycle have shared that though their initial choice of clinic was primarily based on location, they have since ventured further afield and found ongoing treatment that is a better fit.

If you’re just starting out, the counselling provision at a fertility clinic might not be top of your list of things to consider. But, as our community attests, the level of support for your mental and emotional health is a huge factor to consider in your overall experience. It is as essential as any other part of your treatment, and while all UK clinics are required to offer counselling, how it’s delivered and the quality of care in this area tends to vary – some have in-house counsellors, others use a referral service where access can be more limited. Add this to your list of things to discuss in those initial conversations with clinics before you make your choice.

Your initial conversations will be key in choosing the fertility clinic that’s right for you. You’ll be able to ask all the questions you need answers to, and these chats will also give you a sense of the clinic’s general approach and atmosphere. While a clinic might tick all the boxes on paper, being there in person adds a whole new dimension – and with the above factors taken into account, your instinct is a valid indicator too. 

Fertility Mapper is co-created with our community, and one of the most important pieces of advice they gave us when starting out is that speaking to more than one clinic (ideally up to three) was their most important decision-maker. It gave them a chance to see which clinic they connected with on an emotional level, balancing head and heart. They also shared that what made speaking to several clinics difficult was the cost of repeating the preliminary tests at each before being able to book a consultation. 

This is a key part of our Clinic Matcher. To help find the right clinic for you, we can arrange your essential and diagnostic tests, creating a personal medical file that becomes a stepping stone to speaking to several clinics without re-testing (and re-paying) each time. These tests are the master key that unlocks the doors of the clinics you’re interested in; your fast-track to finding the right one for you.