IVF Success Rates Explained: What You Need to Know Before Starting
Embarking on IVF is both an exciting and anxiety-inducing step. For many women and couples, this step comes at the end of what has already been a trying period of infertility, and it’s natural to want to know the IVF percentage success rate, and when you can hope to see the outcome you’re looking for.
At Minerva Fertility, we are passionate about creating families. Dr Lighten’s mission is to provide compassionate and personalised care to couples on their journey to parenthood. With cutting-edge technology, a dedicated team of experts, and a supportive environment, we empower our patients to achieve their dreams of starting or expanding their families.
As leading fertility specialists in Sydney, we are exceptionally proud of our clinic success rate, which demonstrates a positive outcome for many families.
Understanding IVF success rates Australia:
Most clinics will determine IVF success rate by age, as this is one of the largest contributing factors. You will also see many percentages based on cumulative success. What this means is that IVF has an increased likelihood of success after multiple rounds. For example, in Australia, women aged 30 – 31 had about a 48% chance of a live birth after one stimulated IVF procedure cycle, which rose to 61% after two cycles and 67% after three cycles.
It’s important to understand how terms are defined— specifically, whether the rate is measured per IVF embryo transfer, per stimulated egg-collection cycle, or as a complete cycle including fresh and frozen embryo transfers.
Ultimately, your individual chance depends on many factors beyond age, including egg quality, sperm quality, lab standards, embryo development, uterine and general health. The national averages are a guide, not a guarantee.
When you’re starting your fertility journey, it’s natural to want the best IVF success rates Australia. Many clinics publicly advertise their success rates, and while this is useful information to have, these statistics should be used in context.
You should be asking:
· Is the clinic quoting live births (babies born) or clinical pregnancies (pregnancy confirmed by scan)? These are very different metrics.
· Are they reporting per started treatment cycle (egg stimulation + retrieval + transfer), or per embryo transfer? The latter tends to produce higher percentages because not every started cycle leads to a transfer.
· Are they treating more complex cases? Clinics who take on older patients, those with complex infertility issues, or work with donor eggs/ sperm will present different statistics, and this may not be a reflection of your chances of success.
· Are frozen embryo transfers included?
· How recent is the data?
· Is the clinic’s cohort size large enough to make the rate reliable?
· What is your success rate for someone in my situation (my age, fertility history, any known issues)?
Average success rates of IVF:
Below is a general chart tracking the correlation between age and IVF success rate. This is not clinic-specific information, and a number of individual factors can also weigh into the outcome.
Minerva Fertility is very proud of our early success rates. You can learn more here.
| Age at Start of Treatment | Live-Birth Rate After 1 Cycle | Live-Birth Rate After 2 Cycles | Live-Birth Rate After 3 Cycles (Cumulative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30 years | ~43% | ~59% | ~66% |
| 30 – 31 years | ~48% | ~61% | ~67% |
| 32 – 33 years | ~44% | ~60% | ~67% |
| 34 – 35 years | ~40% | ~54% | ~61% |
| 36 – 37 years | ~32% | ~44% | ~50% |
| 38 – 39 years | ~22% | ~32% | ~38% |
| 40 – 41 years | ~13% | ~21% | ~25% |
| 42 – 43 years | ~6% | ~10% | ~11% |
| 44+ years | ~2% | ~5% | ~5% |
Improving your chances of IVF success:
Of course, there are factors that are outside your control, but the good news is that there are some things you can do to improve your chances of success on your next IVF cycle.
These include:
· Maintaining a healthy body weight: Studies show that a body mass index (BMI) outside the optimal range (too high or too low) is associated with reduced live-birth rates in IVF.
· Adopting a fertility-friendly diet: A nutrient-rich diet (for example, a Mediterranean-style diet) supports egg and sperm health, and may improve implantation and pregnancy outcomes.
· Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol: Smoking has been linked to lower live-birth rates and higher miscarriage risk in IVF; avoiding tobacco entirely is strongly recommended.
· Managing stress and get good sleep: Psychological stress and poor sleep can negatively impact hormones, ovum quality and uterine receptivity— so prioritising mental health can help.
· Optimising male partner health too: Sperm quality plays a key role in embryo development and IVF success; lifestyle improvements in the partner also matter.
· Seeking assessment of ovarian reserve and egg/embryo quality: Knowing factors like egg count, age and embryo quality helps tailor the protocol and manage expectations.
Follow your clinic’s advice and protocols carefully. The right stimulation, embryo culture, and lab conditions can make a big difference in outcomes.
Emotional and financial considerations of IVF treatment:
Fertility treatments are a marathon, not a sprint. Knowing your chances of success can help you pace yourself, both emotionally and financially.
Your Minerva Fertility specialist can help you understand your individual chances of success. Together we can map out what to expect in terms of cost, time, emotional support and possible outcomes.
It’s important to plan for the full journey: from hormone injections and clinic visits through to waiting for results, and to recognise how the ups and downs of treatment can affect your wellbeing and your budget. By preparing with realistic expectations and a support plan, you’re better positioned to stay resilient, make informed decisions and preserve your energy, your relationships and your resources for the long-term.
As a former fertility patient himself, Dr Lighten, alongside a team of highly experienced doctors, scientists, and nurses, ensures that every patient receives comprehensive, compassionate support and the best possible chance to achieve their dreams of parenthood.
Minerva Fertility is a place where expertise, compassion, and innovation come together to support every step of the fertility journey.
Contact us today to learn more.
