What is the success rate of IVF in the UK?

Average UK IVF live birth rate is 24% per embryo transfer across all ages. By age: Under 35: 32%, Age 35-37: 25%, Age 38-39: 15%, Age 40-42: 9%, Age 43+: 2-3%. Cumulative success over 3 cycles is 65% for under 35s, decreasing with age. Data from HFEA 2025 statistics.

What is the best age for IVF success?

Under 35 is the best age for IVF, with 32% success per transfer and 65-68% cumulative success over 3 cycles. Success remains good until age 37 (25% per cycle). After age 37, success declines significantly: 15% at 38-39, 9% at 40-42, and only 2-3% over age 43. Egg quality declines rapidly after 35.

Is IVF worth it after 40?

IVF with own eggs after 40 has 9% success at 40-42 and 2-3% at 43+. Cumulative success after 3 cycles is 25% at 40-42. However, donor egg IVF offers 40-50% success regardless of recipient age. Many women over 40 succeed with IVF, but realistic expectations and consideration of donor eggs are important. Discuss your specific AMH and prognosis with your doctor.

What's the difference between pregnancy rate and live birth rate?

Pregnancy rate (clinical pregnancy) means positive test with heartbeat at 6-7 weeks. Live birth rate means taking a baby home. Live birth rate is 5-10% lower than pregnancy rate due to miscarriages. Live birth rate is the most meaningful metric. Always compare clinics using live birth rate per embryo transferred, not pregnancy rate.

How can I improve my IVF success rate?

Modifiable factors that can improve success by 5-15%: maintain healthy BMI (19-25), quit smoking 3+ months before, limit alcohol and caffeine, take prenatal vitamins, eat Mediterranean diet, manage stress, treat underlying conditions (thyroid, etc.), and choose an experienced clinic. However, these can't overcome age-related decline or severe infertility.

Do success rates vary between UK clinics?

Yes, but differences are often smaller than they appear. After adjusting for patient age and characteristics, most UK clinics have similar success rates (within 2-5%). Large differences may indicate: clinic selecting only 'easy' patients, very small patient numbers (unreliable data), or genuinely better/worse lab/clinical practices. Check HFEA data for your age group specifically.

What is cumulative IVF success rate?

Cumulative success rate is your chance of live birth after multiple complete cycles (including fresh + all frozen transfers from each egg collection). UK cumulative rates after 3 complete cycles: Under 35: 65-68%, Age 35-37: 54-58%, Age 38-39: 39-42%, Age 40-42: 24-27%. More reassuring than single-cycle rates.

Does IVF work the first time?

For women under 35, 32% succeed on first IVF cycle (live birth). This means 68% need additional cycles. Success on first try depends on: age (biggest factor), egg quality, diagnosis (tubal factor has best odds), clinic quality, and luck. Most people need 2-3 cycles for success.

What are donor egg success rates in the UK?

Donor egg IVF success rate is 40-50% per embryo transfer regardless of recipient age (depends on donor age, typically under 35). Cumulative success after 3 donor egg cycles is 70-80%. This is much higher than own-egg IVF for women over 40. Donor eggs overcome age-related egg quality decline.

IVF Success Rates in the UK by Age 2026: Latest Statistics & What They Mean

Understanding IVF success rates in the UK can help you set realistic expectations and make informed decisions about treatment. Success rates vary significantly by age, with the highest success in women under 35 and declining chances after age 35.

This guide explains UK IVF success statistics using the latest HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) data, what factors affect your chances, and how to interpret clinic-specific success rates.

What is the IVF success rate in the UK by age?

UK IVF live birth rates per embryo transferred (2024-2025 HFEA data): Under 35: 32%, Age 35-37: 25%, Age 38-39: 15%, Age 40-42: 9%, Age 43-44: 3%, Over 44: 2%. These are per-cycle rates using own eggs. Cumulative success (3 cycles) is higher: 65% for under 35s, 54% for 35-37, 42% for 38-39. Success with donor eggs is 40-50% regardless of recipient age.

What is the average IVF success rate in the UK?

The average IVF live birth rate per embryo transfer in the UK is approximately 24% across all ages (HFEA 2025 data). However, success varies significantly by age: under 35 have 32% success, while over 40 have 9% success. First-time IVF patients under 35 have 29% chance per cycle, increasing to 65% cumulative success after 3 complete cycles.

How many IVF cycles does it take to get pregnant?

Most successful IVF pregnancies occur within 3 cycles. UK statistics show: 1st cycle success: 29-32% (under 35), Cumulative after 2 cycles: 48-51%, Cumulative after 3 cycles: 65-68%. By age: under 35 need average 2-3 cycles, 35-37 need 2-3 cycles, 38-39 need 3-4 cycles, over 40 need 4+ cycles. Success rate per cycle remains relatively stable for first 3 attempts, then declines.

IVF Success Rates by Age (UK 2026)

The following success rates are based on HFEA data and represent live birth rate per embryo transferred using a woman's own eggs. These are the most current statistics available for UK clinics.

Age Group	Success Rate (Per Transfer)	Cumulative (3 Cycles)
Under 35	32%	65-68%
35-37	25%	54-58%
38-39	15%	39-42%
40-42	9%	24-27%
43-44	3%	8-10%
Over 44	2%	5-7%

Why Does Age Matter So Much?

Female age is the single most important factor in IVF success because egg quality declines with age. After age 35, the decline accelerates. By age 40, most eggs have chromosomal abnormalities, leading to lower fertilisation rates, higher miscarriage rates, and reduced implantation success.

📈

Under 35

Best success rates. 65%+ chance after 3 cycles.

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35-39

Moderate decline. 40-58% after 3 cycles.

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Over 40

Significant decline. Consider donor eggs.

Understanding Different Success Metrics

IVF clinics report success rates in different ways. Understanding these metrics helps you interpret statistics accurately:

Live Birth Rate per Embryo Transferred

The gold standard metric. Percentage of embryo transfers that result in a live baby. This is what the HFEA reports and what patients care about most.

Most meaningful metric

Pregnancy Rate (Clinical Pregnancy)

Positive pregnancy test with heartbeat confirmed by ultrasound at 6-7 weeks. Higher than live birth rate because it doesn't account for miscarriages. Often 5-10% higher than live birth rate.

Higher than live birth rate

Success Rate per Egg Collection

Success relative to number of egg collections (cycles started). Lower than per-transfer rate because some cycles are cancelled before transfer, and some have no embryos to transfer.

Lower than per-transfer rate

Implantation Rate

Percentage of transferred embryos that implant (not patients who get pregnant). If two embryos are transferred and both implant, that's 100% implantation even though it's one pregnancy.

Can be misleading

When Comparing Clinics

Always compare live birth rate per embryo transferred in your specific age group. Beware of clinics advertising high "success rates" without specifying the metric—they may be reporting pregnancy rates, which sound better but include miscarriages.

Cumulative Success Rates: Your Chances Over Multiple Cycles

Most people don't succeed on their first IVF cycle. Cumulative success rates show your chances of having a baby after multiple attempts, which is more reassuring than single-cycle statistics.

Cumulative Live Birth Rates (UK Data)

Under 35After 3 complete cycles

65%

35-37After 3 complete cycles

54%

38-39After 3 complete cycles

42%

40-42After 3 complete cycles

25%

What "Complete Cycle" Means

A complete cycle includes one fresh transfer plus all frozen embryo transfers from that egg collection. For example, if you retrieve 10 eggs, transfer 1 fresh embryo, freeze 3 embryos, and later do 2 FETs— that counts as one complete cycle. Cumulative rates assume you use all frozen embryos.

Factors That Affect IVF Success Beyond Age

While age is the most important factor, several other variables influence your chances:

🧬 Ovarian Reserve (AMH/AFC)

Higher AMH and antral follicle count (AFC) correlate with better response to stimulation and more eggs.

• AMH > 15 pmol/L: Good prognosis
• AMH 5-15: Moderate prognosis
• AMH < 5: Lower egg numbers

⚖️ BMI (Body Mass Index)

Both underweight and overweight affect success rates.

• BMI 19-25: Optimal success rates
• BMI 25-30: Slightly reduced
• BMI > 30: 15-20% lower success
• BMI < 19: Reduced success

🚬 Smoking

Smoking significantly reduces IVF success rates in both partners.

• 30-50% reduction in success
• Faster ovarian aging
• Higher miscarriage risk
• Quit 3+ months before IVF

🧪 Diagnosis

Why you need IVF matters:

• Tubal factor: Best prognosis
• Male factor: Good with ICSI
• Unexplained: Moderate
• Endometriosis: Slightly lower
• Diminished ovarian reserve: Lower

🤰 Previous Pregnancies

Women who have been pregnant before (even if not carried to term) have slightly higher IVF success rates than those who have never conceived. Previous live birth is the best predictor.

⏱️ Duration of Infertility

Longer duration of infertility (> 5 years) is associated with slightly lower success rates, possibly indicating more severe underlying issues.

How to Compare Clinic Success Rates

The HFEA publishes success rates for all licensed UK fertility clinics. Here's how to use this data to choose a clinic:

Using the HFEA Website

1. Visit hfea.gov.uk and use the "Choose a Fertility Clinic" tool
2. Filter by your age group (not overall clinic average)
3. Look at "live birth per embryo transferred" (not just pregnancy rate)
4. Check the number of cycles (more cycles = more reliable data)
5. Consider patient ratings alongside success rates

Red Flags When Comparing

• Only reporting pregnancy rate: Should be live birth rate
• No age breakdown: Overall average hides age-specific performance
• Cherry-picking best subgroup: "80% success!" might be one small group
• Very high rates: May select only "easy" patients or turn away complex cases
• Very low cycle numbers: Less than 50 cycles/year makes data unreliable

What Else to Consider

Success rates aren't everything. Also evaluate:

• Location and convenience (stress matters)
• Cost and payment options
• Waiting times for treatment
• Clinic culture and patient support
• Doctor/embryologist experience
• Lab quality indicators (HFEA inspections)

The Best Clinic for YOU

A clinic with slightly lower success rates but excellent patient care, convenient location, and doctors you trust may be a better choice than the "highest-rated" clinic. A 2-3% difference in success rates is often not statistically significant, especially with small patient numbers.

Success Rates with Donor Eggs

Using donor eggs dramatically improves success rates for women over 40 or those with diminished ovarian reserve, because success depends on the donor's age (typically under 35), not the recipient's age.

UK Donor Egg IVF Success Rates

Per Embryo Transferred

40-50%

Regardless of recipient age

Cumulative (3 Cycles)

70-80%

Very high success rate

When to Consider Donor Eggs

• Age over 43
• Multiple failed IVF cycles with own eggs
• Very low AMH (< 5 pmol/L)
• Repeated poor egg quality or embryo development
• Genetic conditions you don't want to pass on

Donor Egg Cost (UK)

• UK donor eggs: £7,000-£12,000 per cycle
• Includes donor compensation (max £750 UK)
• Waiting time: 1-2 years
• Overseas donors: £5,000-£8,000 (Spain, etc.)
• Known donor: IVF cost only

How to Improve Your IVF Success Chances

While you can't control your age or diagnosis, several modifiable factors can optimise your chances:

✅ Do This

• Maintain healthy BMI (19-25 if possible)
• Take prenatal vitamins (3+ months before)
• Eat Mediterranean diet
• Manage stress (yoga, meditation, counselling)
• Get adequate sleep (7-9 hours)
• Moderate exercise (avoid overtraining)
• Treat underlying conditions (thyroid, PCOS)
• Consider acupuncture (limited evidence, low risk)

❌ Avoid This

• Smoking (quit 3+ months before)
• Excessive alcohol (limit to none)
• High caffeine (> 200mg/day)
• Recreational drugs
• Environmental toxins (BPA, phthalates)
• Very hot baths/saunas (males)
• Excessive stress (easier said than done)
• Crash dieting or extreme exercise

Realistic Impact

Lifestyle changes can improve your chances by 5-15% in some cases, but they can't overcome major factors like age or severe infertility. Think of optimisation as giving yourself the best possible platform for success, not as a guarantee. Don't blame yourself if it doesn't work— infertility is a medical condition, not a personal failing.

Understanding Your Personal Success Rate

Population-level statistics provide a baseline, but your individual chances depend on multiple factors: age, AMH, diagnosis, BMI, previous pregnancies, and clinic quality. Your fertility doctor can give you a personalised estimate based on your specific situation.

Age is the most important factor—success declines significantly after 35
Cumulative success rates are more encouraging than single-cycle rates
Most UK clinics have similar success rates when adjusted for patient characteristics
Success rates are averages—some succeed on first try, others take many cycles
Donor eggs offer high success rates for women over 40

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Frequently Asked Questions

References

Success rate statistics based on HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) 2024-2025 data for all licensed UK fertility clinics. Cumulative success rates from studies published in Human Reproduction and Fertility and Sterility. Population-level data may not reflect individual clinic performance—always check HFEA website for specific clinic data.