IVF Success Rates by Age: Understanding Your Chances of Success

Clinically reviewed by Lori Marshall, MD

National in vitro fertilization (IVF) statistics demonstrate that the likelihood of success decreases with age. People assigned female at birth (AFAB) under age 35 have a more than 1 in 2 chance of one egg retrieval (and any number of embryo transfers) resulting in a live birth, and the rate decreases over subsequent age ranges. But success rates are just one part of the equation, and not all patients and clinics are the same. Your clinic will help you understand the odds of having a healthy pregnancy and birth based on your unique circumstances.

Why This Matters for Patients

Like all things fertility, nothing is promised with IVF. However, with the right information and a skilled care team, you’ll have the best chances of growing your family on the best timeline for you. Predicting IVF success rates is a complex process, but your care team is here to answer your questions and ground expectations in your unique goals, health status, and health history.

Breaking Down the IVF Process

While the IVF process may look a little different from person to person, here’s a general overview of the steps:

• Step 1: You will have a preliminary consultation with your physician to discuss your medical history and create a plan. We will also schedule pretreatment testing to custom-tailor your treatment plan for optimal results.
• Step 2: With support and supervision from your dedicated team, we’ll help you with a treatment plan to stimulate (ovarian stimulation) and retrieve multiple eggs from your ovaries (egg retrieval).
• Step 3: The retrieved eggs will be fertilized with a partner’s or donor’s sperm in a lab. The sperm will first be tested to make sure it’s healthy. 
• Step 4: Embryologists monitor and evaluate the fertilized eggs (embryos) as they develop into the blastocyst stage, which typically takes 5-7 days. Then the embryos can be transferred immediately or frozen and later thawed for transfer.
• Step 5: Next, it’s transfer time. Your healthcare team will work with you to decide which embryo to transfer. Once the transfer is complete, we will schedule a pregnancy test about 10-12 days after your transfer. After a positive pregnancy test, we will continue to monitor to confirm successful embryo implantation.

What to Know About IVF Success Rates and Choosing a Clinic

IVF success rates are complex because the process includes several interconnected steps. With each step, the number of eggs or embryos available decreases, meaning the overall chances of success may lower as a result. This is sometimes referred to as the “IVF funnel,” and is an expected part of the process. 

IVF clinics keep data to monitor their outcomes and maintain the highest quality possible. Because clinic and laboratory procedures vary widely between centers, it has been difficult to compile national data or to compare clinics. Probably the best national data we have for overall IVF success rates comes from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), which is the national membership organization for IVF centers. On the national level, SART’s data shows that IVF success rates generally decrease with age.

SART also publishes yearly reports of IVF success rates from SART clinics around the country, but these success rates don’t tell the whole story and shouldn’t be the only way to choose a clinic. Some clinics take on patients others won’t, which means more people get the opportunity to grow their families and often lower success rates. At some clinics, unfortunately, some people are denied care because of age, body weight, or certain fertility factors. This is not necessarily because getting pregnant wouldn’t be possible—it’s sometimes simply because the clinic wants to keep success rates high.

Clinic success rates can be considered in the broader context of the patient population and the medical complexity of patient cases. Other important factors when choosing a clinic include:

• The volume of cycles performed and live birth rates across age groups, which can be indicators of the quality of the care and facility.
• The clinic’s commitment to single embryo transfer to have the healthiest pregnancies.
• The clinic’s approach to care. Are they willing to bank embryos so you can plan for a second child? Because banked embryos are not immediately transferred, this approach could make the clinic appear to have lower success rates in SART data.
• How supported and understood the staff make you feel.

Every individual deserves the chance to build their family. If you’re curious about what the data suggests based on your unique circumstances, your provider will help you understand that in the appropriate clinical context.

What to Know About IVF Success Rates by Age

The most recent finalized national  SART report was published in 2023 and covered 425,869 cycles. According to the 2023 National Summary Report:

• Ages 35 and under: 51.5% of AFAB patients in this age range had live singleton births (one baby) after one intended egg retrieval plus embryo transfers.
• Ages 35-37: 38.9% of AFAB patients in this age range had live singleton births after one intended egg retrieval and any number of embryo transfers.
• Ages 38-40: 25.4% of AFAB patients had live singleton births after one intended egg retrieval and any number of embryo transfers.
• Ages 41-42: 12.8% of AFAB patients had live singleton births after one intended egg retrieval and any number of embryo transfers.
• Ages 42 and over: 4% of AFAB patients had live singleton births after one intended egg retrieval and any number of embryo transfers.

Note: Not all cycles started with the intention of egg retrieval end up including egg retrieval. For these data reports, the success rates encompass cycles that were canceled prior to retrieval. Cycle starts but not live births are counted when embryos are developed but banked, never transferred, or transferred more than a year after the retrieval.

Success at Utah Fertility Center

At Utah Fertility Center, we prioritize caring for the most patients possible—not only the cases that will contribute to higher published success rates.

“Some clinics may only accept more ‘optimal’ patients and others could have more challenging patients,” explains Dr. Deirdre Conway, a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist at Utah Fertility Center. “We tend to see more complicated cases, so although we do maintain great success rates, it adds complexity when comparing local clinics.”

FAQs

How long does an IVF cycle take?

One IVF treatment cycle typically takes around two months. This does not include initial screening and insurance requirements, as well as personal scheduling conflicts. 

The IVF cycle is broken into three phases:

1. Embryo development (10-12 days)
   • Oocyte (egg) retrieval (1 day)
   • Laboratory (3-7 days)
   • Embryo freezing (1 day)
2. Embryo transfer (11-12 days)
   • Luteal phase monitoring (10 days)
   • Embryo transfer (1 day)

What is preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A)?

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A) involves biopsying an embryo when it reaches the blastocyst stage (day 5-7 of embryo life), freezing the blastocysts, and then sending the cells for genetic testing. This may help to increase the chance of a successful pregnancy by reducing the risk of implanting an embryo with chromosomal abnormalities.

How do I know if PGT-A is right for me?

Whether you should pursue PGT-A is based on a number of factors including your age, genetic background, medical history, test results, and previous fertility treatments. For some patients, PGT-A may improve the chances of a successful pregnancy and reduce the risk of miscarriage with the first transfer. Knowing which embryos may result in miscarriage or abnormal pregnancy gives you more autonomy over your own experience and the health of your family. 

Insurance & Coverage Considerations in Utah

Some Utah health insurance plans are required by law to cover IVF in certain situations.

Next Steps for Patients at Utah Fertility Center

We understand that the uncertainty of IVF outcomes can be overwhelming. We are here to help you navigate the process with accurate information and expectations. There are many paths to parenthood, and we will be by your side until you reach the end of the right path for you.

Schedule your consultation today at Utah Fertility Center.