For decades, IVF has been a lifeline — but not always a fair one.
Dr. Cristina Hickman knows this better than most. A world-renowned embryologist, academic, and AI pioneer, she has spent over 25 years working inside the global fertility system — building clinics, developing technologies, and advising some of the world’s largest IVF providers. But it was what she saw behind the scenes that led her to launch Avenues, a clinic founded on the belief that reproductive care should be intelligent, accessible, and deeply human. In this interview, Cristina shares the personal mission behind Avenues, how AI is transforming fertility treatment, and why she believes now is the time to rebuild the system — for everyone.
Dr Cristina, can you share the personal or professional journey that led you to launch Avenues — and why now felt like the right time to bring this to the world?
I have spent over 25 years in fertility as a clinical embryologist, researcher, clinic builder and technology developer— having worked in, built and advised more than 250 IVF clinics in over 20 countries. I hold a PhD, lecture at Imperial College London, and have led the development and validation of some of the first AI and robotics tools in the field. I also chair key global bodies, including the World AI Fertility Society and the ASRM Special Interest Group for AI in Fertility.
But after decades inside the system, I could no longer ignore its failings. As an embryologist, I was spending 70 percent of my time on administrative tasks rather than patient care. I saw patients being passed between doctors and prescribed wildly different treatments for the same diagnosis — all due to subjective clinical decision-making.
As a researcher, I spent years data-mining some of the largest fertility datasets in the world, only to find them unreliable, inconsistent, and incomplete. We had no single, trusted source of truth. Worse, the data we did have often excluded or misrepresented ethnic minorities.
What frustrated me most was how often patients failed — not because they were beyond help, but because they were given generic, outdated care. Too often, the reason for failure was dismissed as ‘unknown’. Patients were told the ‘why’ did not matter. But it does. It always does.
IVF had become a system where patients were treated like they were sick or broken, rather than supported and empowered. Where success was too rare, and equity in access was even rarer.
Avenues was born from all of that — the belief that everyone deserves access to the very best reproductive care, not just the wealthy or the lucky. That IVF can be intelligent, affordable and compassionate. Now, with AI ready for clinical use and the infrastructure finally in place to deliver care differently, this is the moment to create real change. Avenues is not just a clinic — it is a response to everything I wish had been different for every patient I met along the way.
Fertility care can often feel out of reach for many people. From your experience, what do you see as the biggest barriers stopping people from accessing IVF today?
The biggest barriers are cost, complexity, and a lack of clear answers. Too many people are priced out, overwhelmed by the process, or told they’re “unexplained” without real insight. Traditional models often treat fertility one cycle at a time, which doesn’t reflect the full journey people go through.
At Avenues, we’re working to lower these barriers with transparent pricing, smarter use of AI to guide care, and a more compassionate, accessible experience that puts patients back in control.
Avenues introduces the concept of ‘FAIR IVF’. What exactly makes IVF feel ‘unfair’ for so many people, and how does this initiative aim to change that?
IVF can feel unfair when people are excluded because of their age, postcode, or finances especially when NHS access is limited and private care is unpredictable in cost and quality.
FAIR IVF is our response: a transparent, all-inclusive package with AI-powered care, designed for younger patients who might not qualify for help elsewhere. It removes hidden fees, simplifies the process, and makes expert care more accessible because starting a family shouldn’t depend on your postcode or your paycheque.
Cost is a major factor in fertility treatment. How does Avenues address affordability while still offering best-in-class care?
We believe affordability shouldn’t come at the expense of quality. At Avenues, we reduce costs by using smart technology to streamline care like digital tools, AI decision support, and at-home testing, while keeping the clinical standards exceptionally high.
We also offer clear, upfront pricing and success-based models like FAIR IVF and Impact IVF, so patients know exactly what they’re paying for. The goal is to make excellent care more accessible without compromising outcomes or experience.
Beyond cost, fertility care can feel clinical, overwhelming, and emotionally exhausting. How does Avenues create a more supportive and empowering patient experience?
We’ve reimagined the entire experience to feel more human. From the warm, non-clinical design of our space to the way our team connects with patients. Everything at Avenues is built around comfort, clarity, and emotional support.
We combine expert-led care with thoughtful hospitality and personalised guidance. Our nurses and coordinators become trusted companions, and our app keeps patients informed and in control.
AI can sound complex or even intimidating to some patients. How do you balance cutting-edge technology with the emotional, human side of fertility care?
We see AI as a tool to support, not replace the human side of care. At Avenues, technology works quietly in the background to improve decisions, reduce uncertainty, and personalise treatment. But it’s our doctors, nurses, and embryologists who explain every step with empathy and clarity.
Patients don’t need to understand every algorithm. They just need to feel safe, informed, and supported.
Can you explain how Avenues uses AI to personalise fertility treatment in ways that traditional clinics may not be able to?
At Avenues, AI isn’t just used at one stage, it’s woven into every step of the journey. From your very first visit, our Reproductive Intelligence Review (Fertility MOT) uses AI to assess your egg reserve, sperm quality, uterus, and hormone patterns together, creating a clear and personalised picture of your fertility potential.
During treatment, AI helps us make more precise decisions. It selects the most promising sperm at the moment of fertilisation, predicts which embryos are most likely to implant, and even helps determine the best time for transfer based on your unique endometrial profile.
This level of personalisation simply isn’t possible with traditional methods, which often rely on broad averages or manual observation. By using AI to guide each key decision, we help reduce trial and error, improve success rates, and give patients more confidence in their care plan.
You’ve described Avenues as ‘the future of reproductive health’. What excites you most about the future of fertility care as technology like yours becomes more widely adopted?
What excites me most is that we’re finally able to bring precision and efficiency together in a way that directly benefits patients. With AI, we can personalise care based on thousands of individual data points; leading to better decisions, fewer failed cycles, and faster answers.
But just as importantly, we use AI to improve how the clinic itself operates. From streamlining admin to reducing unnecessary steps in the lab, we’ve designed Avenues to be more efficient behind the scenes. That’s what allows us to deliver world-class care at more accessible prices, without compromising on time, quality, or compassion.
The future of fertility care isn’t just about better outcomes, it’s about rethinking how care is delivered, so more people can access it and feel truly supported throughout.
Do you have any success stories that particularly reflect the impact Avenues is having on people’s lives?
One of our proudest early success stories came from a patient in her 40s who had been through multiple failed cycles at other clinics. She was considering giving up after being told her chances were too low.
We took a different approach, using our AI-powered diagnostic platform to reassess everything from her endometrial timing to sperm quality and embryo potential. With a personalised protocol and support from our embryology team, she went on to conceive using her own eggs.
It wasn’t just the outcome that mattered, it was the shift in her experience. She felt truly seen, informed, and supported at every step. This is exactly why Avenues exists: to give people the best possible chance with the eggs and embryos they have, and to bring clarity and care back to a journey that too often feels uncertain.
Finally, what’s next for Avenues? Are there any upcoming initiatives or expansions you’re excited to announce?
We’re just getting started. This year, we’re focused on expanding both access and innovation. Making our care model available to more people across the UK, and continuing to integrate the best fertility technology in the world into our clinic.
One of the most exciting developments is the introduction of Tomocube; an advanced imaging platform that gives us a completely new way to assess egg and embryo quality in real time, without dyes or damage. We’re one of only four clinics globally using this technology, and the first in the UK. It allows us to see things we couldn’t see before, and gives patients an even more personalised and transparent view of their reproductive potential.
Alongside that, we’re growing our digital platform, bringing more of the fertility journey into the comfort of people’s homes, without losing the warmth and expert support that defines Avenues.
