How Successful is Fertility Treatment?

When a patient or couple is pursuing fertility treatment, there is always an emphasis on success rates. How successful is fertility treatment? Success rates for different clinics, success rates for different types of treatment, and success rates for different ages. We usually have these discussions on a “per cycle” basis. In other words, what is the likelihood that a single treatment cycle will result in a successful pregnancy? Perhaps, however, the more important question should be: what is the likelihood that over the entire course of treatment a patient will ultimately have a successful pregnancy?

Fortunately, a recent analysis of 20,000 Danish couples undergoing fertility treatment found that over the course of 3 years, 65% had successful pregnancies. Over the course of 5 years, 71% had successful pregnancies.

The age of the female partner did heavily influence the overall probability of success. For women under 35, 80% gave birth within 5 years of starting fertility treatment. For women between 35 and 40, 61% gave birth within that same time frame. The authors found that patients with a body mass index under 30 and patients who were nonsmokers also had a higher probability of success.

Overall, these results are very encouraging. While fertility treatment often feels like a marathon, the majority of couples will ultimately be successful. We are very proud of our IVF program at Fertility Centers of New England. Our pregnancy rates remain outstanding, and we offer one of the most cost-competitive programs available. If you have questions about your fertility, please contact us today!