Home
NewsNewsThe HFEA calls for a focus on male fertility in the government's Men's Health Strategy, highlighting that infertility affects 1 in 6 couples. Emphasising early intervention and recommending ICSI as a leading treatment, the authority seeks to improve access to care and outcomes while supporting fertility preservation techniques for men facing reproductive challenges.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has submitted comprehensive recommendations to the government's Men's Health Strategy, highlighting critical gaps in male fertility care and calling for systemic reforms to improve access, early intervention, and treatment outcomes for men experiencing reproductive health challenges.
The HFEA's submission, submitted on 16 July 2025, underscores the significant scale of male fertility issues often overshadowed in healthcare discussions. Infertility affects around 1 in 6 people, with men being just as likely as women to experience fertility difficulties. For approximately half of heterosexual couples experiencing conception problems, the cause of infertility is sperm-related.
"Men are just as likely to experience difficulty with their fertility as women. For around half of heterosexual couples who are having problems conceiving, the cause of infertility is sperm-related," the HFEA stated in its response.
The regulatory body emphasised that timing is crucial in fertility treatment success, particularly as more people delay starting families. The HFEA warned that delayed referrals significantly impact both treatment outcomes and healthcare costs.
The earlier the diagnosis of sperm-related infertility, the sooner specialist support can be sought or a referral to a fertility clinic can be made. Earlier referral for anyone seeking fertility treatment is crucial to success. If referral is delayed, then the likelihood of successful treatment is reduced, and there is a greater cost to the public purse.
The HFEA identified Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) as the most common and successful treatment for male infertility. The authority stressed that having fertility services situated within specialist centres can lead to more streamlined experiences, sometimes avoiding the need for more costly and invasive IVF altogether.
Supporting the government's aim of improving health outcomes for men, the HFEA advocated for a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary approach to fertility care. "The HFEA would like to see a cross-disciplinary approach to fertility across the health service, from primary care to treatment in specialist fertility services, to maternity care and beyond. This would improve access to treatment and improved outcomes for both men and women affected by infertility, the response stated.
The authority welcomed the government's recent announcement in its 10-Year Health Plan for England for a neighbourhood health service to provide continuous, accessible and integrated care.
The HFEA highlighted the importance of fertility preservation for men facing various life circumstances. Sperm freezing represents the most effective form of fertility preservation for men and may be used by those undergoing cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, men in the British Armed Forces before deployment, or transgender and non-binary individuals starting hormone therapy or planning reconstructive surgery.
The HFEA supports timely access to fertility preservation techniques to preserve a man's fertility so he can try and have a child(ren) at a later date. Currently sperm freezing is the most successful method for preserving a man's fertility.
The authority also referenced ongoing research into experimental techniques, such as the cryopreservation of pre-pubertal testicular tissue and cells prior to gonadotoxic treatment for children at risk of infertility due to cancer treatment.
The HFEA's National Patient Survey revealed concerning disparities in male patient satisfaction with fertility services. Male respondents indicated slightly lower levels of overall satisfaction with treatment and were less satisfied with the coordination and administration of their treatment, the availability of clinics to answer questions, and the level of care received from clinic staff.
We would encourage medical professionals to consider the needs and experiences of men as well as women seeking fertility treatment. Fertility clinics should think about their communication methods, ensuring that they are involving men in the process and that men receive the same high-quality level of care as their partners, the HFEA recommended.
The authority stressed the critical role of General Practitioners as the first point of information for patients experiencing fertility problems. Given that fertility treatment represents a unique area of UK healthcare where the majority of treatment is privately funded, GP knowledge becomes particularly crucial.
Therefore, it is crucial that a GP has the relevant knowledge to be able to advise men and women on where to go for further specialist information. We encourage the creation of new information flows to support and engage GPs, practice nurses and patients and promote fertility education materials, the HFEA stated.
The HFEA operates one of the world's longest-running registers of fertility treatment, holding records of all treatments, partners, patients and children born as a result in the UK since 1991. This extensive database positions the authority uniquely to inform evidence-based policy recommendations.
The submission emphasised the broader societal implications of improving male fertility care access. There are long term benefits to society of ensuring those who may need to access fertility services are able to access services as soon as possible to ensure treatment has the best chance of success, the HFEA concluded.
The authority's recommendations represent a comprehensive framework for addressing male fertility challenges within the broader men's health agenda, calling for systemic changes that could significantly improve reproductive health outcomes for thousands of men across the UK.
