Baby looking at the camera with finger in his mouth

Fertility Guide for Single Women

Explore fertility treatment and support options for solo female patients

Supporting Solo Parents

As an established clinic with over 35 years of experience creating families, we offer an individualised path to parenthood for those choosing to have a baby without a partner.

Everyone in our compassionate team, from our Expert Fertility Consultants, Nurses, Midwives, Counsellors and dedicated Donation Team, is here to support you every step of the way, ensuring you feel understood and respected.

We’ve helped many patients to become solo parents through our range of treatments crafted to suit personal preferences and budgets, making it easier than ever to create the family you’ve always wanted.

What are my treatment options?

Whether you're actively trying to conceive or looking to preserve your eggs and start a family at a later date - you can do it all with our comprehensive range of female fertility treatments. Below are some of the key treatments we offer to female patients and those assigned female at birth on their solo parenting journey.

Female Fertility Testing at Manchester Fertility

Female Fertility Testing

A fertility assessment includes a measure of your ovarian reserve and general health, in addition to a consultation with a member of our team. Fertility tests are necessary to plan your treatment to ensure all your needs are met.

Explore Fertility Testing
IUI with Donor Sperm

IUI with Donor Sperm

Donor sperm insemination is a simple and quick way to try for a baby using donor sperm. Usually performed without the use of fertility medication, a typical cycle of treatment takes just four weeks.

Explore IUI with Donor Sperm
Embryologist preparing for IVF with Donor Sperm at Manchester Fertility

IVF with Donor Sperm

IVF treatment is a technique where fertilisation takes place outside the body. During the IVF treatment process, we create embryos for transfer using eggs and sperm. In some cases, we can use both donor eggs and/or donor sperm to create embryos for treatment.

Explore IVF Treatment
Egg Freezing at Manchester Fertility

Egg Freezing

Egg Freezing is a form of fertility preservation. Now it's possible to store your eggs cryogenically for up to 55 years, so you can choose to start your family at a time most convenient for you. 

Explore Egg Freezing
Early Pregnancy Scans at Manchester Fertility

Early Pregnancy Scans

We can offer early reassurance scans for those 7-17 weeks pregnant, providing peace of mind in the early stages of pregnancy. Your sonographer will give you a paper printout of the scan report and scan pictures of your baby.

Explore Early Pregnancy Scans

Funding Treatment

We offer accessible, affordable and safe treatment for patients looking to become solo parents. Choose from pre-paid multicycle, refund plans or buy now pay later packages with our partners Access Fertility. We can also offer our discounted donor sperm IUI package, helping you afford your dream family today.

View Our Pricing Packages

Why use Manchester Fertility for treatment with donor sperm?

Our Donor Sperm Bank

Having treatment with us gives you access to our very own donor sperm bank, meaning you can browse our catalogue of health-screened UK sperm donors and once you've found the right match, your donor's sample will be removed from our onsite storage and prepped for your treatment.

Looking for a sperm donor?

    The benefits of our Donor Sperm programme

    • No shipping costs

      Donor Sperm is stored onsite at our Manchester Clinic, meaning it is ready for treatment with no additional costs.

    • No extra organisational stress

      Keep treatment simple, once you've selected your sperm donor, our team will handle the rest.

    • Limit on donor siblings

      Using a HFEA-registered UK sperm donor means a maximum of 10 families can use the same donor.

    Comprehensive emotional support

    Our Fertility Counsellors are here to listen impartially and support you through the treatment journey as someone knowledgeable about your specific treatment but not directly involved. 

    In addition to the invaluable support our counsellors offer, we also work with external partners to ensure every patient receives the full holistic support they need on their solo parenthood journey.

    Learn more about our Support

    Personalised Treatment Plan

    Every path to parenthood is unique, at Manchester Fertility all aspects of your treatment will be tailored to you as a solo parent, focused on achieving pregnancy success. As part of your treatment you will have a consultation with one of our expert fertiltiy doctors who will personalise your treatment plan to your individual needs.

    With our extensive range of treatments and services, whatever your individual cirsumstances our team will be able to suggest the right path to solo parenthood for you.

    Explore our treatments and services

    Patient Stories

    Manchester Fertility Patient Milly shares her solo parent story

    "When I first decided I wanted to become a solo mum, I almost didn't believe it would be possible, but my family is now complete with my two gorgeous sons, Oscar and Casper. I can't thank Manchester Fertility enough - without them, I wouldn't have my two amazing boys."

    Milly

     

    Read More Patient Stories

    FAQs - Solo parenthood

    What is the first step to treatment at Manchester Fertility?

    The first step to treatment is a fertility assessment to review your current fertility and understand your chances of conception.

    At Manchester Fertility, we offer tailored fertility testing options, whether that be a simple check to your reproductive health or a comprehensive review to plan your future family.

    Our New Patient Team are here to help you get started with your treatment, contact the team today on 0161 300 2737, book a 1-2-1 discovery appointment or request a call-back.

    What's the difference between IVF and IUI?

    In the table below we break down the main differences between In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI):

    IVF

    IUI

    Fertilisation: happens outside the body. Your eggs are fertilised in our laboratory with sperm from a donor. Sperm and eggs are placed together and monitored for signs of fertilisation.

    Fertilisation:happens inside the body. Your donor sperm is inserted into your uterus at the time you are ovulating.

    Fertility medication: used to prepare your body for an egg collection and allows the potential for multiple embryos from a single cycle.

    Fertility medication: minimally used, IUI mimics natural conception and can be carried out relying on the egg you natural ovulate.

    Recommended for: more complex cases. IVF is designed to overcome fertility issues and may be recommended as a secondary step toward pregnancy.Recommended for: a first step. Those using donor sperm typically choose IUI as it can be a quick, simple way to try to achieve pregnancy.
    Does Manchester Fertility provide donor sperm for treatment?

    We can provide access to donor sperm for our patients, through our partner sperm bank, Semovo. The cost of using donor sperm for treatment is available in our latest price list.

    How to choose a sperm donor?

    Here’s your quick guide to the process of choosing your donor, and how our dedicated Donation Team helps you find the right donor for you:

     

    Step 1: Consider donor chartacteristic

    Understanding what qualities you are looking for in a donor, these could be physical attributes like hair colour or personality traits such as interests, will help you in the next step.

     

    Step 2: Review Donor Profiles

    Our team will help you find donor profiles that match your desired characteristics, these profiles include a pen picture and goodwill message to help you get to know the donor.

     

    Step 3: Donor Selection

    As a solo parent, the final decision is yours. Once you're confident in your choice, let us know, and our donor team will handle the rest.

    How do I make the final decision to be a solo parent?

    As a solo parent, you are the decision maker, but you can lean on your support network for guidance before making your final choice. Reaching out to loved ones or our friendly team can help you understand your options, we’ll give you all the time and support you need to make the right decision for you.

    Is there a waiting list for treatment with donor sperm at Manchester Fertility?

    There is no waiting list for treatment with donor sperm at Manchester Fertility.

    If you want more information about what your personal timeline for treatment with donor sperm could look like contact our dedicated donor team on 0161 300 2734 today.

    Will there be an impact to my donor conceived child?

    To protect the wellbeing of donor-conceived children, all our sperm donors undergo thorough health screening in line with strict HFEA regulations.

    Being open and honest about their origins can help reduce any emotional impact on the child. While the decision of how and when to share this is yours, our team is here to support you and give advice on Telling Donor-Conceived Children About Their Origins.

    Simple self-referrals

    Ready to have your family with us?

    If you have started treatment or had fertiltiy assesssments elsewhere it is so easy to self-refer, fill out our online form to get started today!

    Get Started
    Simple self-referrals
    Close

    Call now

    New patients

    0161 300 2737

    Lines open 8am - 6pm, Monday - Friday.

    Existing patients

    0161 300 2730

    Lines open 7:30am - 6pm, Monday - Friday.

    Weekends and Bank Holidays - lines open 8am - 12pm.

    Friendly Manchester Fertility staff member

    Did we answer all your fertility questions today?

    If you still feel you need more guidance and support, you can book a FREE 1-2-1 discovery meeting to talk through the options available to you.