'99 percent of cycles carried out without incident' says UK fertility regulator

New data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) shows that reported incidents, near misses and 'to be assigned' cases at UK fertility clinics rose by 19 percent in 2025/26, mostly due to an increase in low-severity events. 

The Fertility Sector 2025/26 report published by the HFEA recorded 942 incidents, near misses and cases awaiting classification. There was one Grade A incident, the most serious category, compared with none in the previous year. Near misses, which cause no harm but have the potential to do so, also increased for the third consecutive year. However, most of the increase came from Grade C incidents, the lowest severity category, which were largely administrative errors.

'Fertility patients can be reassured that treatment in UK licensed clinics remains very safe, with over 99 percent of cycles carried out without incident,' stated Peter Thompson, chief executive of the HFEA.

In the Grade A incident, embryos belonging to more than five patients failed to develop as expected. An investigation could not establish a definitive cause, and no regulatory action was required.

Thompson added: 'While this report shows an increase in the number of incidents reported to the HFEA over the last year, this reflects a sector that is becoming more responsible and transparent when things do go wrong.' The regulator pointed to clinics potentially responding to learning shared by HFEA after high-profile incidents in two clinics in 2023/24.

Inspections identified 141 non-compliances, ten more than in the previous year, with most inspected clinics having at least one. Seven were critical, the most serious level of non-compliance. Since 1 June 2025, deviations that pose no significant risk have been recorded as 'observations' rather than non-compliances.

The report also recorded 83 cases of severe or critical ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a potentially life-threatening complication of fertility treatment. Overall, these incidents occurred in less than 0.2 percent of egg collection cycles. 

Patient feedback was positive overall. Most patients said they would recommend their clinic and that staff offered them privacy, dignity and empathy. The HFEA also reported progress in reducing backlogs and responding more quickly to information requests from donors, donor-conceived people and parents.

The publication forms part of the HFEA's efforts to monitor changes in the fertility sector, and highlight areas that demand attention (see BioNews 1259). In its 2025/26 Annual Report and Accounts, for instance, it stressed that the legislative basis for fertility and embryology regulation 'has not kept pace with scientific, clinical, and societal change', citing a lack of progress on that front during the past reporting year.