IVF with donor eggs success rates

If you are exploring IVF with donor eggs and searching for the right clinic, you will likely want to know about IVF success rates.

In the UK, the fertility governing body, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) regulates IVF success rates. They are a metric which all clinics are required to collect and publish, but the volume of data and different types of success rates can cause confusion.

In this article, we aim to help you understand IVF using donor egg success rates by explaining what they are and how to interpret them. We also explore the chances of IVF success with donor eggs by discussing the success rates of different age groups. For more information on IVF success rates using your own eggs, we have a separate article on IVF success rates by age

What do we mean by IVF success rates?

IVF success rates refer to the outcomes of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). They are usually expressed as a percentage and depend on various factors such as a woman's age, cause of infertility, egg and sperm quality, clinic expertise, and lifestyle. Success rates can be calculated at different stages of the IVF process:

• Fertilisation rate: Percentage of eggs successfully fertilised

• Implantation rate: Percentage of embryos successfully implanting in the uterus

• Clinical pregnancy rate: Percentage of IVF cycles resulting in a confirmed pregnancy

• Live birth rate: Percentage of IVF cycles resulting in the live birth of a healthy baby

In this article, we will be discussing IVF success rates in relation to live births.

It's important to note that while success rates provide valuable information about national averages and the performance of clinics, they are not guarantees or a prediction of your chances of getting pregnant, and individual outcomes can vary for a variety of reasons.  

How to evaluate a clinic’s IVF success rates

When comparing a fertility clinic's IVF success rates against national averages or another facility, there are several factors to consider:

• Transparent reporting: Ensure that the clinic provides transparent and detailed reporting of IVF success rates. Clinics should display their success rates on their website or be able to provide them for you if you ask. You can also search for a clinic’s data on the HFEA website.

• Patient demographics: The age of the patients undergoing IVF is a significant factor. Success rates tend to be higher for younger women, so clinics with a higher proportion of older patients may have lower overall success rates.

• Type of infertility: Different causes of infertility may impact success rates. Clinics that specialise in treating specific infertility issues may have varying success rates.

• Treatment protocols: Clinics use different treatment protocols and technologies. Some may be more advanced or tailored to specific conditions, influencing success rates.

• Multiple pregnancy rates: A clinic's approach to transferring multiple embryos can influence IVF success rates.Multiple embryo transfers may increase the overall success rates but also the multiple pregnancy rate. It’s worth noting that all clinics are required to report their multiple pregnancy rates to the HFEA. If these rates are too high (above average), then the HFEA will investigate why the clinic are performing so many double embryo transfers. 

• Ongoing monitoring and improvement: Check if the clinic participates in continuous monitoring and improvement programs. Clinics actively working to enhance their procedures may have better outcomes over time.

Is IVF more successful with donor eggs?

Using an egg donor can increase success rates, especially in cases where the donor egg recipient has diminished ovarian reserve or poor egg quality, although the outcome does depend on each unique set of circumstances.

Female age is a significant factor in fertility, and as a woman ages, the quality of her eggs tends to decline. Using donor eggs from a younger woman helps overcome this age-related decline in egg quality, improving the chances of success.

Donor eggs are typically obtained from young, healthy women with good ovarian reserve. This means the eggs are more likely to be of high quality, with fewer chromosomal abnormalities, and have a higher chance of successful fertilisation and implantation. Due to the higher quality and lower risk of chromosomal abnormalities of donor eggs, the likelihood of miscarriage is also lower compared to using the eggs of an older woman.

IVF with own eggs success rates by age group

In 2021, around 55,000 patients had nearly 76,000 fresh and frozen embryo transfer IVF cycles. According to data from the HFEA’s Fertility Treatment 2021: Preliminary Trends and Figures report, the IVF live birth rates using fresh embryos across different age groups were as follows:

• Age 18-34: 33% live birth rate 

• Age 35-37: 25% live birth rate

• Age 38-39: 17% live birth rate

• Age 40-42: 10% live birth rate

• Age 43-50: 4% live birth rate

Overall, the average live birth rate from IVF using fresh embryo transfers increased from 8% in 1991 to 22% in 2021. The average IVF birth rate for frozen embryo transfers also increased from around 6% in the 1990s to 27% in 2021.

IVF with donor egg success rates by age group

Many factors impact how successful IVF with donor eggs is but using donor eggs can increase success rates. Data from the HFEA’s Fertility Treatment 2018: Trends and Figures demonstrates IVF success rates by age and highlights how rates improve when using donor eggs:

 Apricity IVF with donor eggs success rates

Figures from our 2023 cycles (up to quarter three) show a pregnancy rate of 59% per embryo transfer when using donor eggs and when comparing Apricity’s IVF with donor eggs success rates to national average rates, Apricity exceeds national averages across all age groups. 

The national average live birth rate per embryo transferred using donor eggs for those under the age of 38 is 31%. Apricity’s is 44%. For those over the age of 38, the national average is 30% and with Apricity, it is 40%. This transcribes to an overall IVF success rate (regardless of the birthing mother’s age) of 41% when undergoing treatment with Apricity which is far higher than the national average of 30%. 

We are proud to help realise the dreams of parenthood for so many of our patients with IVF using donor eggs. Our IVF success rates show the positive outcomes we deliver, but we also ensure that everyone we treat feels confident in their treatment plan and our experts, and has access to support seven days a week. It’s why we are global leaders in inclusive fertility care.

To learn more about IVF with donor eggs or to register your interest in finding a donor, book a free consultation with an Apricity advisor.

References

• https://www.hfea.gov.uk/choose-a-clinic/

• https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/publications/research-and-data/trends-in-egg-sperm-and-embryo-donation-2020/#section-4

• https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/publications/research-and-data/fertility-treatment-2021-preliminary-trends-and-figures/