Register Research Panel (RRP) Annual report to HFEA Authority

The Research & Intelligence team presented the Annual report on data research to the HFEA Authority in July.

The Authority was informed about new successful applications to the RRP and updated on publications from previously approved projects. Since 2010 there have been 26 peer-reviewed academic articles published from RRP approved research projects, and 32 from anonymous HFEA data sources.

In order to increase data availability, the award-winning HFEA dashboard was updated in June alongside the publication of the data research report ‘Fertility Trends 2023’. The dashboard’s customisable and simplified format enables public access to data, receiving over 65,000 views in 2024.

The strategic aim to increase availability and benefit of the HFEA’s data led to the introduction of the quarterly ‘HFEA Data Research Newsletter’ and the delivery of a webinar on accessing the register for research. These initiatives were considered beneficial to promote researcher engagement at the HFEA.

Details of previous Authority meetings including agendas, papers, and minutes can be found on our website.

Horizon scanning in fertility research from the HFEA Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC)

The Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC), comprised of Authority members and external advisors, held its last meeting of the year on 6 October 2025.

The committee welcomed three new advisors with expertise in Andrology and Urology; Reproductive Medicine and Andrology; and big data, machine learning, and AI. The committee discussed papers on methods to derive embryonic and extra embryonic stem cells, testicular tissue transplantation and rated platelet rich plasma (PRP) as a treatment add-on.

Details of previous meetings including agendas, papers, and minutes can be found on the SCAAC homepage.

Recent HFEA presentations on national fertility register data

The HFEA attended the Royal Statistical Society’s International Conference from 1-4 September in Edinburgh, and presented on Accessibility in Power BI as part of a session on how to improve official statistics outputs in simple, practical ways. We also shared the main findings of the “Family formations in fertility treatment 2022” report.

From 7-10 January we will be attending the upcoming Fertility 2026 Conference in Edinburgh. Please reach out to us at register.research@hfea.gov.uk to arrange any in-person discussions on using HFEA data in research at the event.

Researcher spotlight

David McLernon is a senior research fellow in the Biostatistics and Health Data Science group, based at the Institute of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Aberdeen. His research interest is on clinical prediction models, particularly in reproductive medicine.

He developed the OPIS (Outcome Prediction in Subfertility) prediction models which estimate the chance of having a baby over multiple complete cycles of IVF using data from the HFEA register. These models help clinicians to counsel patients on their changing prognosis over time, and help patients plan financially and emotionally for the number of IVF cycles they may wish to undertake. The OPIS online tool is used worldwide with an average of 3,000 visits each month.

A recent comparative study from a different research group has shown that McLernon’s models perform better than other models at predicting live birth outcomes.

For more information about research projects using register data, visit the HFEA data research webpage.

Did you know?

Egg freezing is on the rise

Our latest Fertility treatment report showed that the number of egg freezing cycles increased 170% between 2019 and 2023, from 2,567 to 6,932 cycles.

In 2023, around 98,900 treatment and storage cycles were undertaken in the UK, of which 7% were egg freezing. Egg freezing increased most among patients in their 30s, but the overall number of patients using their stored frozen eggs in treatment remains low and open to further research.

Read the full report and visit the HFEA’s webpage on egg freezing for more information. If you would be interested in pursuing research projects using register data, visit the HFEA data research webpage.

Publications using HFEA Register data

A list of publications issued in the last year resulting from research using HFEA data can be found below, with earlier papers found on our website.

Using data obtained through the Register Research Panel (RRP)

Williams, C.L., Bunch, K.J., Stiller, C., Murphy, M.F.G., Botting, B.J., Davies, M.C., Luke, B., Lupo, P.J., & Sutcliffe, A.G. (2024) Langerhans cell histiocytosis in children born after assisted reproductive technology. Reproductive BioMedicine Online 49(6).
Purkayastha M, Sutcliffe A, Brison DR, Nelson S.M, Lawlor D., & Roberts S.A. (2024) Perinatal health in a cohort of children conceived after assisted reproduction in the UK: a population-based record-linkage study. BMJ Open 14.

Other publications using HFEA data, including the anonymised dataset

Datta, A.K., Nargund, G., Wilding, M., Dobson S., & Campbell S. (2025) Embryo utilisation rate and transferable embryo to oocyte ratio correlate positively with livebirth rate but negatively with oocyte number: analysis of 14,156 fresh IVF/ICSI cycles. Journal of Ovarian Research 18 (112).
Zhang, Y., Jia, Q., Liu, Y., Guan, Y. (2025) Insemination methods for embryos transferred in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles do not impact reproductive outcomes in couples with non-male factor infertility. Scientific Reports, 15 (13630).
Kondowe, F.J.M., Gittins, M., Clayton, P., Brison, D.R., & Roberts, S.A. (2025) Bias due to non-consent in assisted reproductive treatment cohort studies: consent for disclosure to non-contact research in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority register. Human Reproduction 40 (5).
Tighe, J., Broughton, S., Roberts, R., Kasaven, L. S., Cutting, R., Bridges, E., Ng, A., Evans, A., Theodorou, E., Ben Nagi, J., & Jones, B. P. (2025). Effectiveness and safety of consecutive single embryo transfer compared to double embryo transfer: results from the UK HFEA registry. Human reproduction 40 (5).
Datta, A.K., Campbell, S., Diaz-Fernandez, R., & Nargund, G. (2024) Livebirth rates are influenced by an interaction between male and female partners’ age: analysis of 59 951 fresh IVF/ICSI cycles with and without male infertility. Human Reproduction 39 (11).
Paffoni, A., Vitagliano, A., Corti, L., Somigliana, E., & Viganò, P. (2024) Intracytoplasmic sperm injection versus conventional in vitro insemination in couples with non-male infertility factor in the ‘real-world’ setting: analysis of the HFEA registry. Journal of Translational Medicine 22 (687).

We rely on researchers to let us know when they have published research using HFEA data. If you have a publication to contribute to the bibliography, please contact us at register.research@hfea.gov.uk.

Interested in accessing our data? Find out more on our website and contact us via the enquiry form to discuss your project idea.

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Editorial statement
Data research update is an official electronic newsletter of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, is produced by the HFEA and provides a roundup of news and information on the Register data and Register Research Panel activity. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission.

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