Tabulated
below is our most recent data from July 1, 2004 through
December 31, 2004.
*Comparison
of clinic success rates may not be meaningful because patient
medical characteristics and treatment approaches may vary
from clinic to clinic.
Since 1978, thousands of living births have occurred following
IVF. America's first live birth from In Vitro Fertilization
was born on December 28, 1981.
According to published 1994 statistics for 249 U.S. IVF
programs, a pregnancy occurred in 24.0% of initiated cycles
(including IVF, GIFT, and ZIFT) and a delivery occurred
in 19.3% of initiated cycles.
Our pregnancy rates have been significantly higher for many
years. In order to put these success rates in perspective,
one must recognize that the human reproduction is very inefficient.
Fertile couples have only a 25% likelihood of establishing
a pregnancy each month. Compare that to 70% in cattle!
In
calendar year 1999 our overall in-vitro pregnancy rate was
41% for all patients undergoing embryo transfer. As expected,
pregnancy rates decline with advancing maternal age. Our
per cycle pregnancy rate was 50% for women under age 35,
33% for ages 35-40. We have achieved extremely high pregnancy
rates without transferring large numbers of embryos. In
1999, 69% of patients had three or fewer embryos transferred.
Our twin rate was 25%. No patient had quadruplet or higher
gestations. Our embryologists give us valuable information
about your embryos on the day of transfer. If the embryos
have not cleaved well, or have significant fragmentation,
we may suggest replacing more than three embryos. In 1999,
no patient receiving more than three embryos had more than
a twin pregnancy. In cases or advanced maternal reproductive
age, high FSH levels, and recurrent IVF failures assisted
hatching is indicated. The embryologist will dissolve
away part of the zona
pellucida egg shell surrounding the embryo, to make
the embryo more likely to implant.
Major
congenital anomalies occur in 3% of pregnancies, established
either through in vitro fertilization or intercourse at
home. Pregnancies resulting from IVF may result in a miscarriage,
tubal pregnancy or stillbirth, as with spontaneous conceptions.
Tubal pregnancies occur in less than 3% of IVF pregnancies.
Now that embryo transfers are performed under direct ultrasound
guidance, it is hoped that the ectopic
pregnancy rate will decrease even lower.
