Compare IVF, ICSI, egg freezing and frozen embryo transfer, and understand related donor and family-building consultations.
Understand what each option does, then discuss your individual plan with a physician.
| Treatment | Main purpose | How it fits into care | Understanding the costs | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IVF — in vitro fertilisation | Fertilisation outside the body and embryo culture | Assessment, stimulation, retrieval, fertilisation, culture, then transfer or storage arrangements | Check retrieval/culture separately from medication, anaesthesia and transfer | Explore IVF |
| ICSI — intracytoplasmic sperm injection | Inject one sperm into an egg | A fertilisation method within IVF, not a complete cycle on its own | Check the ICSI procedure fee alongside the wider IVF costs | Understand ICSI |
| Egg freezing and fertility preservation | Preserve eggs for possible future use | Retrieval and freezing now are separate from future thawing and use | Budget separately for freezing, annual storage and future use | Plan egg freezing |
| FET — frozen embryo transfer | Transfer an existing frozen embryo | Starts with existing frozen embryos; does not include a new retrieval | Confirm transfer, medication, annual storage and transport separately | Prepare for FET |
IVF covers a broader treatment process; ICSI changes the laboratory fertilisation step. Egg freezing preserves eggs for possible future use, while FET uses existing frozen embryos.
Sperm freezing, donated eggs or sperm, and third-party family-building involve separate screening, resource availability, consent and document requirements. Discuss your circumstances with the receiving institution.
Explain your family-building goals first. Medical eligibility, donor resources, third-party involvement, parentage documents and cross-border requirements need individual confirmation.
An embryologist injects one sperm into an egg. ICSI changes the fertilisation step within IVF; it is not a complete treatment cycle or a universal way to improve live-birth rates.
Read the guide
IVF covers a broader treatment process; ICSI changes the laboratory fertilisation step. Egg freezing preserves eggs for possible future use, while FET uses existing frozen embryos.
Read the guide
Explain your family-building goals first. Medical eligibility, donor resources, third-party involvement, parentage documents and cross-border requirements need individual confirmation.
Read the guide
Eggs are retrieved and frozen for possible future use. This preserves an option and does not guarantee a future pregnancy or birth.
Read the guide
Sperm freezing, donated eggs or sperm, and third-party family-building involve separate screening, resource availability, consent and document requirements. Discuss your circumstances with the receiving institution.
Read the guideA percentage needs context. Match the patient group and treatment stage before comparing results.
| Measure | Cycles included | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Per intended retrieval | Cycles started with medication or monitoring for planned retrieval. | Are cancelled cycles and cycles without retrieval included? |
| Per actual retrieval | Cycles that reached egg retrieval. | Are retrievals without a transferable embryo included? |
| Per transfer | Cycles that reached embryo transfer. | One transfer, or cumulative results from transfers after one retrieval? |
Clinic-level results describe past groups. A doctor assesses your individual prospects using your history and tests.
Information checked: 19 October 2026. Individual treatment, availability and fees require confirmation by the care provider.
