Rates of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) are increasing and now over 1% of all babies born are conceived this way. But what is the chance of IVF success?
IVF success depends on a variety of factors, including the age of the woman, the cause of the infertility, and the clinic performing the procedure.
Success can also be a confusing term. What patients really want to know is, what is the chance of having a healthy baby? Often success is presented as the chance of becoming pregnant, which isn’t as clear as some women will experience pregnancy loss.
Generally, the overall chance of having your first baby with IVF is around 24 to 30 percent. However, the chances of success vary widely depending on the individual patient’s circumstances.
Age is a major factor in determining the chance of IVF success. Generally speaking, the younger the woman is, the higher the rate of success. For women under 35, the live birth rate from IVF is just over 30 percent per embryo transferred. For women over 40, the rate drops significantly.
The cause of infertility also plays a role in the success rate of IVF. For couples struggling with male infertility, the success rate is generally higher than for those with female infertility. In addition, the presence of any underlying medical conditions can affect the success rate.
The clinic performing the procedure can have a big impact on the success rate of IVF. It’s important to research the clinic’s success rates before deciding to proceed with treatment.
Outcome Prediction In Subfertility (OPIS)
Researchers at The University of Aberdeen used data from all UK treatment cycles over 10 years to create an individualised prediction tool. Enter some basic demographics and answers a few questions to find out your chance of success.
Try for yourself
Sources
Fertility treatment 2019: trends and figures | HFEA
Authors
Matt is an NHS Consultant in Newcastle with over ten years of experience. His PhD research into subfertility and miscarriage involved developing a clinical trial and patient engagement.
