Private private fertility consultation cost in the UK: 2026 price guide

A private fertility consultation is a first appointment with a fertility specialist to review your history, plan tests and discuss treatment options, and is usually the starting point for investigation and treatment pricing.

The range in the published self-pay lists for private fertility consultation was £150 to £300. That spread reflects different hospitals, different variants and different ideas of what belongs in a package, so the table names each one.

Lists are revised from time to time and sit alongside conditions in the small print. The figures help you see where a quote falls, but they cannot replace your own estimate.

The specialist reviews how long you have been trying, your cycles, medical history and any earlier tests, then suggests investigations such as an ultrasound scan, hormone bloods and semen analysis.

Ask for a written plan with costs, and for the clinic HFEA record to compare with others.

The first consultation reviews how long you have been trying, cycle history, previous pregnancies and general health, then plans basic tests: an ovulation or hormone profile, a semen analysis and a check that the tubes are open. A plan is made with timelines and options.

Couples under a certain age with no known problem are often advised to keep trying for a defined period before treatment. The HFEA website allows you to compare clinics by success rates, which is worth doing alongside prices.

Two patients having the same operation or test can receive quite different bills. For private fertility consultation, these are the factors that most often explain the gap.

• Initial versus follow-up fee: Guy and St Thomas Specialist Care lists £300 for an initial consultation and £150 for follow-up.

• Tests: ultrasound, hormone tests and semen analysis are separate fees.

• Both partners: a joint appointment or separate appointments.

• Clinic and consultant.

• Treatment pathway: the consultation leads to tests and perhaps treatment.

Ask for the inclusions in writing. For this procedure the usual split between what is covered and what is charged on top looks like this.

Insurers generally exclude fertility investigations beyond basic diagnosis, so confirm with your policy.

Check whether your insurer recognises the exact procedure and the consultant you plan to see, and ask for any excess in writing. Self-funders can usually ask about finance, but terms depend on credit checks and should be read closely.

NHS fertility care starts with your GP, who can arrange initial tests, with referral to a specialist if appropriate.

Many people consider private care because of NHS waiting times, but the NHS route costs nothing at the point of use and the 18-week standard applies to non-urgent consultant-led pathways. Local performance varies.

There is no recovery. The practical cost is time and the tests that follow.

The risks below are the ones that can turn a quoted price into a larger bill, so ask how each would be dealt with.

• Tests recommended at the consultation can add up quickly, so ask for a list of likely investigations and their costs before agreeing.

• Add-on treatments with limited evidence are sometimes offered, and the HFEA advises caution.

Write the answers down as you go. These are the questions that tend to separate similar-looking quotes for this procedure.

• What does the consultation fee cover?

• Which tests are likely and what do they cost?

• What is your HFEA success data for my age group?

• What are alternatives such as NHS tests?

• Is every fee in the quote guaranteed, or could consultant and anaesthetist charges differ from the estimate on the day?