The results from IVF vary widely from couple to couple, clinic to clinic and country to country.
Female age is crucial
The graph below compares the age of women undergoing treatment at Sydney IVF versus the chance of having a baby from one IVF treatment demonstrates just how significant is the impact of age.
The graph illustrates pregnancy rates which are greater than 60% per embryo transfer in the early 20's reaches a steady level above 50% till age 32 but then falls steadily with reasonable results up to age 40 but by age 45 virtually no women achieves pregnancy.
It is important for couples wishing to have a baby to be aware of this information as it is not possible for IVF to overcome the age related decline in results. The earlier you decide to seek treatment the higher your chance of being successful.
Which IVF clinic matters
Which IVF clinic you attend has a substantial effect on your chance of taking home a healthy baby as a result of treatment. Not all clinics are the same. Just because your local family doctor has directed you to a particular service does not mean that it is the best for you. Likewise a congenial doctors does not guarantee good results. It is important to ask questions and obtain detailed accurate information about IVF clinic results before committing yourself to treatment. Those IVF clinics that have an active research and development program are usually at the leading edge of clinical results. Independently audited results provide reassurance that the statistics you are provided from the clinic can be relied upon.
Sydney IVF and its associated regional clinics have repeatedly produced first class results. Indeed, data from the National Perinatal Statistics Unit shows that for the last 5 years in which clinic specific data has been published that:
Sydney IVF has produced the highest IVF take home baby rates in Australia and that women under 35 had a greater than a 50% chance of having a baby from one fully completed cycle of IVF. More recently published results from Sydney IVF show live birth rates in women under 38 of greater than 60%.
Sydney IVF's results are independently audited by Ernst & Young, an international accounting firm.
The influence of the IVF Laboratory on results
- Culture media
Over the last 10 years there has been dramatic improvements in the culture media (fluid in which embryos are grown) in IVF. Stage specific media - changing the type of media for different parts of the IVF process - is now considered crucial to obtaining the best results.
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- Blastocyst culture
Growing embryos for 5 or 6 days to the point where they have over 100 cells is now known to be superior than developing them till the 6-8 cell stage (day 3). More >>
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- Single embryo transfer
The number of embryos normally placed back into the uterus has steadily declined so that now most reputable clinics do not transfer more tan two embryos back to the uterus. Poorer quality IVF clinics attempt to compensate for the low results by transferring more embryos back. You should be very wary of an IVF clinic that routinely transfers more than one embryo back to the uterus in women under 35 years of age - it is a sure sign of the clinic trying to cover up poor results.
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Waiting for the results of IVF
Waiting the two weeks after embryo transfer, for the result of treatment is said by many couples to be the most difficult part of IVF. Many indicate that this time is harder to deal with than the hormone injections or the egg collection procedure. Try to relax as best you can. Do things you enjoy. There are no restrictions on physical activity. It is not possible to influence the result of treatment at this stage.
Follow up visit or pregnancy ultrasound
After treatment there are only two possible results. You either will or will not be pregnant. The nursing staff will advise you on whether a pregnancy test is necessary. It is best to make a follow up visit 6 to 7 weeks after the first hormone injection for treatment. The timing of this appointment is to permit an ultrasound to be performed should you be pregnant. Making an earlier appointment will not help, as a clear view of the pregnancy can not be obtained. If pregnancy has not occurred a follow up visit with your doctor can use this visit to review treatment and decide if any refinements or improvements might be made for subsequent therapy. Should there be additional embryos which have been frozen, a decision on any necessary treatment and the timing of their transfer can be made.
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