Many single women decide that they want to explore options for having a baby on their own. At the Zita West Clinic, we are proud to offer a service that is designed specifically to help you discover the treatments available to you as a single woman.
Be it IVF using donor sperm, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or egg freezing to help you future proof your family plans, we will support you every step of the way and help you find the treatment that is best for you
Your IVF consultation with one of our fertility specialists will take you through everything you need to know about your options.
We understand that each person will have unique concerns and be at completely different stages of the process, and our holistic approach to guiding you through your fertility journey will take all of these individual considerations into account.
We will ensure that you leave your consultation knowing all you need to know about the options available, including the legalities of sperm donors, how to best prepare for having a baby in this way, and answering all the questions you may have at this stage.
A Couple’s Story following IVF at the Zita West Clinic
For single women, the main difference between you and a couple going through the IVF process is the step of finding donor sperm with which to fertilise the egg. If you choose to go down this path, we will work closely with you throughout the process of finding donor sperm from the UK or abroad. We offer regular counselling to talk through your thoughts and concerns on the matter, and are always on hand to offer guidance at any stage of the process.
Once you have made the decision regarding the donor sperm, the rest of the process remains the same as anyone else pursuing IVF as a fertility treatment. Our unique holistic approach will focus on both the medical processes and your mental wellbeing as we take you through the treatment.
We integrate the medical treatment with nutrition and lifestyle assessments to ensure that both mind and body are best prepared for the process. Your individualised treatment may also include complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and hypnotherapy, depending on your needs.
For single women thinking about starting a family on their own, there are typically three options we recommend:
Of course, every situation is different, and we will work closely with you to decide which option is most appropriate. If you don’t want to start the process just yet, but worry about the future viability of your eggs, we also offer egg freezing to help ease your mind if you are wanting to wait a bit longer before having children.
Since there are a couple more steps involved in commencing fertility treatment as a single woman, such as finding donor sperm and ensuring all legalities are in place, any option you decide on may take slightly longer than if you were undertaking treatment with a partner.
Sometimes, the process of establishing a route of treatment, and ensuring the mandatory legal requirements are met, is very quick. Other times, it may take up to three months. Once the treatment begins, it will take the same amount of time as any other round of IVF.
When planning for a family, there is often a lot to consider. If you want to start thinking about your future family, we offer various services to help you begin your fertility planning journey with confidence. Whether you want to start your journey as soon as possible, or are thinking further ahead, there are plenty of ways in which we can help.
For women who aren’t yet ready for children but are concerned about the future viability of their eggs, egg freezing is an increasingly common option. This process typically works best for women under 37, and will include a blood test to check your anti-mullerian hormone levels and also an antral-follicle count scan. At present, you can legally freeze your eggs for up to 10 years (unless in exceptional circumstances). If you are considering this option, book a consultation with us to discuss your individualised treatment plan.
If you decide to go down the IVF route, we offer a service (PGT-A) which allows you to test the genetics of the embryos which have developed following the fertilisation of the egg. This allows us to identify the embryos with the best chance of developing into healthy babies, and can reduce the risk of miscarriage by only implanting chromosomally normal embryos with the highest chances of implanting successfully.
PGT-A is particularly beneficial for:
We have had many single women choose us to help them start their family using IVF. Our holistic approach makes us unique, and creates a much more personalised experience when deciding which treatment is best for you.
We start off with a one-on-one consultation between you and one of our fertility experts, and come to a decision, together, about what treatment best suits your situation. Alongside the medical procedures, we offer many holistic therapies such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy, and counselling, to ensure that both your mind and your body are as best prepared for your treatment as they can be.
We have plenty of stories from single women who have gone through the IVF process with us, which can be extremely useful when deciding on a clinic to use for such a life-changing treatment. Get in touch with us if you have any questions, and we will be happy to help.
Please view our fee schedule for the cost.
If you have any questions about the process of having any of our fertility treatments as a single woman, our Zita West Clinic team is always here to answer them. If you want to read more about the process, then here are a few resources that we recommend:
Get in touch with one of our dedicated IVF advisers and see how we can help you conceive.
At Zita West Clinic, we understand that each individual person needs an individual approach to starting a family. From the moment you walk through our door, you will receive personalised and comprehensive guidance and advice to help you through your fertility journey: the future of your family starts here.