• Society of Canadian ART clinics in 2006 reported an average pregnancy rate of 35%.
• A French study estimated that 66% of patients starting IVF treatment finally succeed in having a child (40% during the IVF treatment and 26% after IVF discontinuation). Achievement of having a child after IVF discontinuation was mainly due to adoption (46%) or spontaneous pregnancy (42%).
  
  

Above data clearly explains the facts which are available globally. It should leave No doubt, about success rates of IVF in your mind. Unfortunately, in India – no national figures on success of IVF are available. ICMR is in the process of registering all IVF clinics in India.

It is of course 100% for the couple who gets a live baby after IVF and for the one who fails, its 0%.

Each IVF treatment cycle is a bit like taking a gamble i.e.”One needs to hope for the best and prepare for the worst”!!


How Many IVF cycles are to be tried?

Infertile couple should go through at LEAST 3 CYCLES. to give them a fair chance of live birth rate. With 3 treatment cycles, the chance of getting pregnant (the cumulative conception rate) is about 65-75%

The chance of getting pregnant in a Single IVF-ICSI cycle is more than 30-35% in Male Factor Infertility. Over 3 ICSI - IVF cycles, the chance of having a baby increases to good 70- 80%.

These days, it is not uncommon to find request from couple for Nth Number of cycles. Experts believe that after 3 cycles if couple is willing for Donor Eggs cycle – one can go further.

“Beware of IVF Centre which claims 70 -80% Success Rates in One treatment of Cycle”

Let us assume the pregnancy rate for IVF of IVF-ICSI cycle at a given IVF centre is 30%. This is least expected from a good IVF – ICSI centre any where in the world.

Exercise for Clear Understanding:
If 10 patients start an IVF of IVF – ICSI cycle, 3 will get pregnant, leaving 7 patients. If these 7 patients try another IVF cycle, 2 will be pregnant . Two more will get pregnant in 3rd cycle. So out of 10 patients who started, minimum 7 or 8 will be pregnant in three attempts. This is because the chance of getting pregnant in the next IVF cycle do not decrease just because a pregnancy has not occurred in the previous IVF cycle. So that the best bet would be to keep on trying for atleast three cycles.

Multiple Pregnancy & IVF
Increasingly a concern is also growing as how to avoid multiple live birth pregnancy rates. Indians do not
mind twins in IVF. Twine are born in 35 % of pregnancies and triplets in 5 %, as compared to twins rate of 1 in 80 birth and triplets 1 in every 6,000 pregnancies in normal population.

• A body mass index (BMI) over 27 causes a 33% decrease in likelihood to have a live birth after the first cycle of IVF, compared to those with a BMI between 20 and 27.Also, pregnant women who are
  obese have higher rates of congenital abnormality, miscarriage, gestational diabetes, hypertension,
  thromboembolism and problems during delivery. .Ideal body mass index is 19–30.
• Salpingectomy before IVF treatment increases succsess rate for women with hydrosalpin
• Success with previous pregnancy and/or live birth increases chances
  Tobacco smoking reduces the chances of IVF producing a live birth by 35% and increases the risk of an IVF pregnancy miscarrying by 30%.
• Low alcohol/caffeine intake increases success rate
• Semen quality of sperm provider.
• Level of sperm DNA fragmentation in malefactor infertility
• The number of embryos transferred in the treatment cycle.