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IVF Explained: Everything Men Need to Know

IVF Explained: Everything Men Need to Know
Authored by
Francesca Steyn

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IVF fertilises eggs with sperm in a laboratory before an embryo is transferred to the uterus. For the male partner, treatment can involve fertility tests, consent decisions and producing a semen sample, sometimes alongside surgical sperm retrieval or ICSI. Your role also includes understanding the plan, sharing practical responsibilities and getting support for your own wellbeing.

What is IVF?

In vitro fertilisation, usually shortened to IVF, means fertilisation outside the body. Eggs are collected from the ovaries and placed with prepared sperm in an embryology laboratory. Any embryos that develop are observed, and an embryo may then be transferred to the uterus. Suitable remaining embryos can be frozen for later use with the appropriate consent.

IVF may be offered for several reasons, including tubal problems, endometriosis, ovulation problems, unexplained infertility, some male-factor fertility problems, the use of donor eggs or sperm, and fertility treatment involving a surrogate.

The exact plan depends on both partners’ results, previous treatment, age, ovarian reserve and personal circumstances.

What is the difference between IVF and ICSI?

IVF describes the overall treatment cycle. ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, is a method that may be used at the fertilisation stage within an IVF cycle.

  • Conventional IVF: Prepared sperm are placed with each egg and fertilisation is allowed to occur
  • IVF with ICSI: An embryologist injects one selected sperm into each suitable mature egg
  • Conventional IVF: Commonly used when sperm parameters and previous fertilisation history support it
  • IVF with ICSI: Considered for significant sperm problems, surgically retrieved sperm or previous failed or very low fertilisation
  • Conventional IVF: Sperm still need to interact with and enter the egg
  • IVF with ICSI: ICSI bypasses some of the steps involved in the sperm entering the egg

ICSI does not “force” an egg to fertilise and cannot guarantee an embryo or pregnancy. An egg can be damaged during preparation or injection, fertilisation can still fail and an embryo may not develop normally.

The 2026 NICE guideline says to consider ICSI when semen parameters are abnormal, taking severity into account, or when a previous IVF cycle had failed or very low fertilisation. It says not to use ICSI for non-male-factor fertility problems when semen parameters are normal.

Read IVF and ICSI Explained for a closer comparison.

What happens during an IVF cycle?

Protocols and timings vary, but the main stages are usually:

1. Assessment and treatment planning

Both partners may have fertility tests, infection screening and a medical review. The clinic explains the proposed treatment, alternatives, risks, costs and consent decisions.

For the male partner, assessment may include a semen analysis and discussion of previous illness, surgery, medication, testosterone or anabolic-steroid use. An unusual result may need confirming or investigating before treatment.

2. Ovarian stimulation and monitoring

The partner providing eggs usually takes hormone medication to encourage several follicles to develop. The clinic monitors progress through ultrasound scans and sometimes blood tests, then gives instructions for the final maturation injection or other trigger.

As the male partner, learn the medication plan without taking control away from the person receiving it. Sharing reminders, travel, household responsibilities and appointment planning can reduce some of the practical load.

3. Egg collection

Eggs are collected using an ultrasound-guided procedure, usually with sedation or anaesthesia. The clinic should explain preparation, aftercare and when urgent help is needed.

The semen sample is often produced around the time of egg collection. If producing a sample may be difficult, tell the clinic well in advance. It may discuss producing and freezing a backup sample or another medically appropriate plan.

4. Sperm preparation and fertilisation

The embryology laboratory prepares the semen sample and chooses conventional IVF or ICSI according to the agreed plan. When no sperm are present in the ejaculate, sperm may sometimes be retrieved from the epididymis or testicle and used with ICSI.

The clinic normally checks for fertilisation the following day. Not every collected egg will be mature, not every mature egg will fertilise and not every fertilised egg will develop into an embryo suitable for transfer or freezing.

5. Embryo development

Embryos are observed in the laboratory for several days. The clinic should explain how it grades embryos and how it decides when or whether to transfer one.

Be cautious about paying for optional tests or technologies simply because they sound more advanced. Ask what outcome they improve and consult the HFEA’s independent treatment add-on ratings.

6. Embryo transfer or freezing

An embryo may be placed into the uterus using a thin catheter. In some cycles, all suitable embryos are frozen and transfer takes place later. Remaining good-quality embryos may also be frozen after a fresh transfer.

NICE generally supports single-embryo transfer when a suitable top-quality embryo is available. Transferring more than one can increase the risk of multiple pregnancy, which carries risks for the pregnant person and babies.

7. Pregnancy test and next appointment

The clinic gives a date for the pregnancy test and instructions about medication. Testing early can produce misleading results. Ask whom to contact about symptoms, bleeding, pain or severe emotional distress during the wait.

What does the man need to do before providing a sperm sample?

Follow the fertility clinic’s instructions, which may differ from the instructions for a diagnostic semen analysis. The clinic will normally specify how long to avoid ejaculation and whether to produce the sample at home or on site.

You may be asked to:

  • Use only the sterile container provided
  • Avoid ordinary lubricants or condoms
  • Collect the complete sample and report if any is missed
  • Record the production time and abstinence period
  • Provide photo identification or complete witnessing checks
  • Deliver a home-produced sample within strict time and temperature conditions

Tell the clinic early if anxiety, medication, disability, religious concerns or a previous experience may make production difficult. A rushed conversation on egg-collection day is not the best time to solve the problem.

Read How Long Should You Abstain Before a Semen Analysis?, while remembering that the treatment clinic’s instructions take priority for an IVF sample.

What consent decisions involve the male partner?

UK fertility treatment requires written informed consent for the use and storage of sperm and embryos. Do not treat the forms as routine administration.

You may need to decide:

  • How your sperm can be used
  • Whether embryos can be created, transferred, frozen or used in research or training
  • How long material should be stored, within legal limits
  • What should happen if one partner dies or loses capacity
  • Whether consent applies to a named partner’s treatment

Consent can be changed or withdrawn before the relevant sperm, egg or embryo is used, subject to the legal process. Ask the clinic to explain the consequences, especially for stored embryos created using both partners’ reproductive material.

How successful is IVF?

There is no responsible single percentage that applies to every couple or every “cycle”. Success depends particularly on the age of the person providing the eggs, as well as diagnosis, ovarian response, embryo development, sperm factors, previous treatment and whether the figure is measured per egg collection or embryo transfer.

Use verified HFEA data rather than an unattributed clinic percentage. The HFEA’s Choose a Fertility Clinic service reports measures including births per egg-collection procedure and births per embryo transferred, alongside national data. It warns that direct clinic comparisons are difficult because clinics treat different patient groups.

Ask the clinic for an individualised estimate and clarify:

  • Whether it means pregnancy or live birth
  • Whether it is per treatment started, egg collection, fresh transfer or all fresh and frozen transfers
  • Which age group and patient population it covers
  • Whether donor eggs or embryos are included
  • How uncertainty is presented

Can you get IVF on the NHS?

NICE guidance and actual local access are not always the same. The 2026 NICE guideline recommends offering IVF before the 42nd birthday when specified clinical or duration criteria are met.

For eligible people under 40, NICE recommends an initial three full cycles and says up to three further full cycles can be considered after discussion if those are unsuccessful. For eligible people aged 40 or 41 who have not had IVF before, it recommends one full cycle. A full cycle means one episode of ovarian stimulation and the transfer of any resulting fresh and frozen embryos.

NHS commissioning criteria can still vary by location. Ask your GP or local commissioning body for its current written policy, including age, previous treatment, existing children, BMI, smoking and relationship requirements. Do not assume that a clinic or old webpage accurately describes your eligibility.

How do you choose a fertility clinic?

UK clinics providing regulated fertility treatment must be licensed by the HFEA. Use the HFEA’s Choose a Fertility Clinic service to review verified treatment and birth data, inspection reports, patient ratings and services.

Look beyond the headline success rate. Consider:

  • Experience with your diagnosis, including male-factor investigation
  • Whether a male partner with abnormal results can see an andrologist or urologist
  • Communication outside standard appointments
  • Travel, monitoring and weekend arrangements
  • Counselling and psychological support for both partners
  • The clinic’s multiple-birth rate and embryo-transfer policy
  • Full written costs, including medication, freezing, storage and possible ICSI
  • How it explains treatment add-ons and evidence

The HFEA says good clinics tend to have outcomes consistent with national averages, an appropriate multiple-birth rate, good patient and inspection ratings, and comprehensive counselling.

What are the main risks of IVF?

Most people do not have serious health problems from IVF, but risks need to be understood. They include:

  • Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a potentially serious reaction to fertility medication
  • Procedure-related bleeding or infection, which is uncommon
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Multiple pregnancy when more than one embryo implants
  • Emotional distress, relationship pressure and financial strain
  • The possibility that no suitable embryo develops or treatment does not result in a baby

The clinic should provide urgent-contact instructions. Severe abdominal pain or bloating, difficulty breathing, fainting, reduced urination, chest or shoulder-tip pain and heavy bleeding need prompt assessment according to the clinic or NHS guidance.

How can a male partner provide meaningful support?

Support is not just attending appointments or saying the right thing. It can mean:

  • Learning the plan and sharing administration
  • Taking responsibility for questions, travel and medication collection when wanted
  • Listening without immediately trying to solve every emotion
  • Recognising the physical burden carried by the partner undergoing stimulation and egg collection
  • Talking openly about your own fear, grief or pressure
  • Agreeing what you will tell family, friends and employers
  • Planning how you will handle results together

Ask what support your partner actually wants. Also identify someone you can speak to, so your emotional needs do not disappear or fall entirely on the person having the procedures.

Questions to ask before starting IVF

  • Why are you recommending IVF, and why conventional IVF or ICSI?
  • Have both partners been appropriately investigated?
  • What is our individual chance of a live birth, and how is it calculated?
  • What exactly is included in one full cycle and in the quoted price?
  • What will happen if I cannot produce a sperm sample on the day?
  • Which add-ons are being suggested, and what is their HFEA rating?
  • How many embryos do you recommend transferring, and why?
  • What support and counselling are available to both partners?
  • Who do we contact out of hours or if symptoms develop?
  • What decisions must we make about stored sperm and embryos?

The most important thing to remember

IVF is treatment for both partners, even when most procedures happen to one person. Understand why IVF or ICSI has been recommended, complete your own investigations, share practical and emotional responsibilities, and ask for success, risk, funding and cost information that applies to your circumstances.

For peer support during treatment, join The Male Fertility Hub community.

Sources

This article provides general information and does not replace advice from your fertility clinic or another qualified healthcare professional.