Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago Blog

• A few days ago SART (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies) released its 2009 IVF Success Rate Report
• This report comes out annually and provides clinic specific in vitro fertilization success rates for all SART member clinics in the US
• The report includes a national summary which shows national averages for IVF success rates broken down by the age of the female partner
• It also has live birth rates for IVF with donor eggs

This report is a useful resource for couples pursuing fertility treatment. Success rates are significantly different between programs. When you go through an IVF cycle you are not getting the same treatment at every program.

It’s not like going out and buying a Jeep:

• If there is a Jeep dealer closer to home, or a little cheaper – then a Jeep is a Jeep, so buy it there
• However, IVF is not a commodity
• IVF at one clinic may result in an average success rate of 25% while at another clinic it might be 60% for the same age group
• In vitro fertilization at “Clinic A” does not equal IVF at “Clinic B” – so do your research

Our IVF success rates
Our egg donation success rates

The clinics must turn in their data every year (to SART and the CDC)  in November for the IVF cycles performed during the previous calendar year. SART then takes a few months to prepare the report and publish the results on the web.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), a US government agency, also publishes annual IVF success rate reports

• However, release of the CDC report is delayed by about 8 to 10 months after the SART report
• The CDC’s report is more comprehensive and includes more clinics with additional analysis of data beyond clinic success rates
• The drawback of the CDC report is the additional delay before publication

To go to the 2009 SART report and check IVF live birth success rates for any SART member clinic, follow these steps:

• Click this link: www.sart.org
• Click on the orange button “IVF Success Rate Reports”
• Click on the state that you want on the US map
• A list of all SART member clinics in that state will come up
• Click on the clinic you want to see results for
• Click next to “ART Data Report” (at the bottom) and that clinic’s IVF success results for 2009 will come up

Study the report in the area relevant to you – own eggs and age 40, or donor eggs, etc. If a clinic is missing from the SART or CDC reports it is probably a bad sign. Find out why they did not report – or go elsewhere. Buyer beware.

If you check the success rate information for a clinic you are considering for treatment and find that they are low compared to national averages or other clinics in your area – go to a clinic with higher success rates. It would likely increase your chance to have a baby with IVF.

A comparison of clinic success rates may not be meaningful because patient medical characteristics, treatment approaches and entrance criteria for ART may vary from clinic to clinic.

Richard Sherbahn, MD is a fertility doctor practicing in the Chicago, Illinois area. Connect with me on Google+

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