Cairn Fertility
Comparing IVF clinics on cost, success and who they welcome.
The problem
IVF costs thousands, success data is buried in a regulator's register, and many clinic sites are written as if every patient is a heterosexual couple.
Who it’s for
Solo parents, two mums, two dads and couples, looking for a clinic that fits their family and budget.
What we had to respect
- Success rates must come from the HFEA register, presented without misleading comparisons.
- Inclusive from the first screen, not as a separate page.
- Quiet, practical guidance for an emotional decision.
The decisions that shaped it
The experience
Family-type pathways, a clinic finder with filters for age, region, treatment, price and NHS funding, side-by-side comparison of up to four clinics, stories, and a private, vetted community.
What we learned
“Inclusion is an information architecture decision before it is a copy decision.”
Deep dive
Five routes to one mark
The cairn was explored as a classic stack, a seed stone, a monoline, an embrace and a waypath. Waypath won because it reads as a path forward, not a finished monument.
Presenting HFEA success rates
Success rates come straight from the HFEA register, shown with context such as age band and treatment type so a smaller clinic is never made to look worse by a raw percentage.
Research: IVF and work
Sector research suggests 38% of UK employees going through treatment left or considered leaving their job, and about 27% of employers have a fertility policy. This shaped a planned section for employees and employers.
