IVF Success Rates

An IVF clinic’s success rates are one way of measuring a fertility center’s IVF lab expertise, as well as how a center compares to national averages. Although these metrics can be used when comparing different fertility centers, it’s important to understand the factors that go into the numbers, as well as how the numbers are compiled.

Understanding IVF success rates

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)—organizations in charge of establishing standards for IVF success rates—warn against direct comparisons between clinics, stating:

Clinics may have differences in patient selection, treatment approaches, and cycle reporting practices, which may inflate or lower pregnancy rates relative to another clinic. Please discuss this with your doctor.

For instance, each patient treated, including his or her specific diagnosis and treatment plan, affects an IVF lab’s success rates. Factors include:

• Medical history
• Cause(s) of infertility
• Age category
• Medical complexity
• Treatment protocol
• And more.

Often fertility centers that accept a higher number of medically complex or older fertility patients will have lower success rates, or a more balanced number of reported cycles in each age group, as opposed to a center that favors only healthier fertility patients (in the 35 and under age group). When evaluating a center’s success rates, it’s important to inquire about their patient screening processes.