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Why success rates matter

Success rates matter because the higher the success rate, the sooner we can get you pregnant. This means that your emotional distress is limited and your journey is also less costly.

Fertility Associates has excellent IVF success rates, among the highest in Australasia.

The Australian Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC) suggests clinics present results as birth rates per embryo transfer to allow easier comparison between clinics.

Birth rates are slightly higher when using fresh embryos - a fresh transfer always uses the best embryo, while thawed transfers use the next best embryo(s).

In nearly all our embryo transfers, only one embryo is transferred at a time to optimise the safety of both mother and child safety. ‘One at a time’ maximises your overall chance of a baby and your safety. These results exclude techniques that lift birth rates per transfer further, such as using donor eggs or Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS).

birth rate per embryo transfer*
Younger than 35 years
42%
35 to 38 years
33%
39 to 42 years
17%

* the average chance of a live birth, (take home baby rates), from embryo transfer of fresh or thawed embryos by age, for women using their own eggs, for treatment performed in 2020 and 2021.

Below is the same table as a graph, for those of you who are more visually inclined:

Birth per embryo transfer
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Your personalised chance of success

It is your personal chance of success per treatment that is important. The major factors contributing to individual success are:

  • the woman’s age at egg collection
  • the number of eggs collected

If you are using an egg donor, it is the donor’s age that matters. When using frozen embryos, it is your age when the embryos were created.

Your doctor will advise whether other personal factors, such as cause of infertility, weight, or sperm quality, that might affect your chance of success.

The numbers you are likely to have in an IVF cycle can be estimated from the level of a hormone called AMH (Anti Mullerian Hormone). Our doctors customise the dose of medications and the type of ovarian stimulation based on your age, AMH level, and other information from your medical history. Having 5-10 eggs gives about twice the chance compared to having 1-2 eggs. However, having more than 10 eggs only adds a small extra benefit.

The chance is very similar whether it is your first, second or third cycle, unless some major problem or issue shows up in the first cycle.

The number of eggs can vary from one IVF cycle to another: the number is usually within plus or minus 3 - so if you get 8 eggs the first time, you can expect 5 to 11 eggs the next time.

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...and for those who want the science 'p dive'...

Different clinics report fertility treatment success in different ways. We use the chance of a baby from a single treatment cycle. This is also the preferred way to report results for the New Zealand consumer group, fertilityNZ and SART (the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology) in the United States

For IVF, this includes using both fresh and frozen embryos from a single egg collection. Over half our births from IVF in younger women come from using frozen embryos.

When selecting a clinic, it’s important to check what measure they use when reporting their success rates. Many use ‘clinical pregnancy per embryo transfer’, which excludes:

  • People who do not have any eggs
  • People whose eggs don’t fertilise
  • Pregnancy loss or miscarriage

Clinical pregnancy rate per transfer can also be increased by transferring more than one embryo at a time, which carries the risks and complications of twins and even triplets to the mother and children.

Here are our most recent results for a single IVF egg collection cycle. It covers all women using their own eggs who have an egg collection, including those who did not get any eggs, those whose eggs didn’t fertilise, those who do not have an embryo suitable for transfer, and those whose pregnancy sadly miscarried.

Birth rate from a single IVF egg collection

The figure above is based on all egg collections at Fertility Associates' clinics over the last three years for which we have complete birth results (2018-2020). These results cover IVF cycles with normal fertilisation and sperm microinjection. 

We transfer fresh embryos at the cleavage or blastocyst stage, while thawed embryos are nearly always transferred at the blastocyst stage. About 10% of cycles started do not get to egg collection. For most of these people, it is better to stop, and start again with a higher dose of the medications used for ovarian stimulation.

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When to seek advice early

  • If you have polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, or have been through a cancer diagnosis; we recommend you get in touch quickly so we can talk you through all your options and give you the greatest possible chance of success.
  • If you’re a single woman considering motherhood in the future; it’s best to approach us early and consider egg freezing as this can be an option for you while you have a higher ovarian reserve and healthier eggs.

Woman’s BMI below 19

Even in these modern times, nature knows best. If a woman's BMI falls below 19, the body senses famine and ovulation is switched off to prevent the risk of having a baby with malnutrition. Excessive exercise can reduce body fat and increase muscle mass to a point where periods cease for the same reason. Risk of miscarriage is also increased in women with a low BMI.

Being underweight

If a woman's BMI falls below 19, the body senses famine and ovulation is switched off to prevent the risk of having a baby with malnutrition. Excessive exercise can reduce body fat and increase muscle mass to a point where periods cease for the same reason. Risk of miscarriage is also increased in women with a low BMI.

BMI’s greater than 30

This can reduce fertility by 50%. Pregnancy for women with a 30+ BMI is often associated with problems such as maternal diabetes, high blood pressure, big babies and increased risk of caesarean section.

Add your height and weight to calculate your BMI