What is your IVF success rate ?

This is the commonest question most patients ask IVF doctors. It's a very important question, because patients understandably want to maximise their chances of success - and would like to select a clinic which has the best success rates.

However, such a simple question unfortunately does not have a simple answer. While clinics can quote their overall success rates - such as 40% per cycle; or a take home baby rate of 35% per cycle, for example, these numbers mean very little to the individual patient.

The number needs to be individualised for each couple because it depends upon a number of variables - the most important of which are the woman's age and her ovarian reserve.

Even more importantly, the fact is that 40% means nothing to the individual patient. For an individual, the rate is either 0% or 100% !

Going one step further, suppose the number the doctor quotes is 5% or 20 % ? The question you need to ask yourself is - " Will I still go ahead, because any chance is better than the zero chance I have in my own bedroom on my own ?"

If the answer is yes, then there's really no point in asking the question, as it will not affect your decision !