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What Would Be An IVF Success Story?

What would be classed as an IVF success story? When a woman gets pregnant on her first course of treatment and gives birth 9 months later? That's what I would class as a success story, but how often does this really happen?

IVF statistics and ivf success rates show a different story. If you think that ivf will work, then you are mistaken. You are not 100% guaranteed to get pregnant with this treatment.

Let's see some ivf statistics

IVF success rates

To start with you have to understand that the ivf success rates differ with every couple pursuing the treatment. Factors to take into account when contemplating ivf are, how old you are, and what problems stopped you from conceiving naturally.

Average ivf success rates are:

For women under 35 years - approx 30% chance.
For women 35-37 years - approx 24% chance.
For women 38-39 years - approx 18% chance.
For women 40-42 years - approx 10% chance.
For women 43-44 years - approx 3% chance.
Women over 44 years have a very small 1% chance.

This information is based on a fresh course of treatment with women using their own eggs for ivf. The success rate using donor insemination is considerably lower.

Around 1% of all births are a direct result of ivf or donor insemination.

IVF success story - The risks

Although ivf treatment gives you the chance to become pregnant, if you do get pregnant there is a chance that you could experience a multiple birth (twins or triplets) This carries health risks for both the mother, and the unborn babies.

Multiple births are at risk from:

Premature birth.
Low birth weight for the babies.
The risk off cerebal palsy is 5 times higher for twins, 18 times higher for triplets.
There is a risk of the babies dying before birth, or within the first week. This is 4 times higher for twins and around 7 times higher for triplets.

Weighing up the facts is a sensible exercise before deciding on any course of treatment. As with any medical procedure there are always going to be certain risks associated with them.

On an end note - My friend gave birth to a gorgeous, healthy and happy baby boy on Christmas eve last year. He was an ivf success story! Sometimes the 'pro's' far outweigh the 'con's'!

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