Egg Fertilization and Pregnancy Rate After IVF
According to 2016 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the pregnancy rate for women under 35 using fresh non-donor eggs was 35.9 percent; the live birth rate for women in these types of cycles was 31 percent. As women become older, these pregnancy and success rates go down. What’s fascinating is that regardless the success and failure rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, some women wind up becoming pregnant through natural conception.
Dr. Sonja B. Kristiansen has met with numerous Houston, TX patients who wound up becoming pregnant after undergoing IVG treatment. Let’s consider some pregnancy and fertilization rates after IVF and why this happens.
Can Women Naturally Conceive After IVF?
Yes.
As it turns out, it’s possible for women to become pregnant through natural conception after undergoing IVF for the previous child. You may have friends or relatives who were unable to have a child through natural conception for years, but after undergoing IVF, they were able to eventually conceive a child naturally. In fact, we have heard this from previous patients of the Houston Fertility Center.
Statistics on Pregnancy After Initial IVF Treatment
Health magazine cited two studies on the phenomenon:
- A 2016 UK study found that 29 percent of women who underwent IVF became pregnant through natural means for their next child.
- A 2012 study published in the journal Fertility & Sterility found that 24 percent of couples who had unsuccessful fertility treatment went on to have a chid naturally, and 17 percent of couples who underwent successful fertility treatment went on to have a child naturally.
In both of these studies, we notice that simply undergoing fertility procedures, successful or not, could be a means of having not just one child but another baby.
Why Do Women Get Pregnant After Previous IVF Treatment?
There are numerous guesses among fertility specialists, but it often comes down to a mixture of stress and couples being subfertile rather than infertile.
Stress
Stress and anxiety about becoming parents can have a negative overall impact on your ability to conceive. It can throw off hormones and general wellness. If you are stressing out over having a baby and have struggled for a while, it can make it much more difficult to conceive.
Subfertility
As for subfertility, this is not the same as infertility. When couples are subfertile, they may not be technically infertile. Instead, subfertile couples have lower chances of conception or have simply encountered lots of bad luck while trying to conceive. Compounded with stress, this is a recipe for struggling to have children.
Should I Undergo Fertility Treatment?
If you and your partner have been struggling to have children for a year or more with no success, it’s a good idea to at least visit a fertility doctor for a consultation. You will receive useful information about your treatment options. With this knowledge, you can determine if IVF is right for you.
Learn More About IVF
For more information about IVF and your many other options for having a child after facing infertility, contact a skilled fertility treatment doctor. Your can reach Houston Fertility Center by phone at (713) 862-6181.