CREATE Fertility, Birmingham

Under 35 is CREATE Fertility, Birmingham's strongest age band, while 40-42 is where results currently trail furthest behind the national figure. Overall, the clinic's live-birth rate is 50% against a national average of 38% — a well above average result on HFEA's rating. It's a low-volume clinic, though, so smaller caseloads can swing more year to year than at a larger unit. Worth asking how consistent these figures have been over recent years.

It's a live-birth rate per embryo transferred, based on HFEA-verified regulated data from 2016-18. When comparing this to another clinic's figure, check two things: whether it's quoted per embryo transferred or per cycle started, since those numbers differ, and which years the comparison figure actually covers. Clinics don't all report on the same cycle. Asking the clinic to confirm both points before you compare is a fair and sensible question to raise.

Worth covering directly: what's included in the quoted price, and what add-on costs are typical — medication, freezing and storage are common gaps; what were your live-birth rates for my age group in the latest HFEA data, rather than relying on the headline number alone; and how many cycles like mine you carry out each year, since this is a low-volume clinic. A good consultant will welcome these questions, not deflect them.

Prices are quoted from £800, but that figure is rarely the whole story. Medication, embryo freezing, ongoing storage and any add-ons tend to sit outside the headline number and can add up. Rather than assume the quote covers everything, it's worth going through it item by item with the clinic before committing. One direct question worth asking is: what is not included in this price? A clear answer there tells you a lot about what to expect.