Add-ons

Add-ons, explained honestly

Extras get offered in the same breath as the treatment plan, which makes them sound standard. Around 73% of UK patients have at least one, most are unproven, and only about a third say they were told about the risks. Here is what each one is, and what the evidence generally shows.

The honest headline

No IVF add-on currently has strong evidence that it improves the chance of a live birth for most patients. That doesn’t mean they are all useless, and it doesn’t mean your clinic is acting in bad faith. It means the burden of proof has not been met, and you are entitled to know that before you pay. We use the HFEA’s public traffic-light approach as our framing; check their current ratings, as they change.

IVF or ICSI?

This is the one almost every couple meets, so it is worth its own section. ICSI means an embryologist injects a single sperm directly into each egg, instead of leaving sperm and egg together in a dish. It was developed for male factor infertility — where something about the sperm is the main obstacle — and for that it was a genuine breakthrough.

For couples without a sperm problem, the evidence generally shows no improvement in live birth rates compared with conventional IVF. It is nonetheless used in a very large share of UK cycles, well beyond the group it was designed for.

None of that means ICSI is wrong for you. It means that if it is suggested, it is entirely reasonable to ask which of your results points to it, and what would happen if you didn’t have it.

Decisions about your treatment are for you and your clinical team.

Common add-ons, one by one

Costs are general UK reference ranges, not quotes. Open any entry to read the detail.

If you feel pushed

Extras are often raised when you are already emotionally committed, or after a cycle that didn’t work, which is when it is hardest to say “let me think about it”. You can say it anyway. Ask for the information in writing and give yourselves a few days. A treatment that only makes sense under time pressure was never a good decision.

The printable add-on question set

No news, no offers, no clinic marketing. Just the next thing that’s confusing, written down clearly.

We ask for an email address and nothing else — no name, no treatment stage, nothing about your health. We will never share or sell it, and unsubscribing is one click at the bottom of every email.

Spotted something wrong or out of date? Tell us.