IVF Success Rates at Bourn Hall
Understanding in vitro fertilisation (IVF) success rates is an important part of choosing a fertility clinic. At Bourn Hall, we believe success statistics should be clear, honest and rooted in real patient experiences.
How we measure IVF success
One of the most common questions we hear is: ‘How are IVF success rates calculated?’.
The answer is that success in fertility treatment can be measured in several meaningful ways, including:
- Live birth rate per egg collection
- Live birth rate per embryo transfer
- Clinical pregnancy rate
- Cumulative success rate over time
At Bourn Hall, we focus on live birth rates, as this is the outcome that matters most to the people we care for.
We present:
- The chance of having a baby from one egg collection, including both fresh and frozen embryo transfers (FETs)
- The chance of achieving a pregnancy that leads to a live birth within one year for patients who continue treatment
This approach reflects how IVF often works in real life. Many people choose to freeze embryos and return for further transfers, so measuring success after only one transfer can sometimes underestimate the full potential of a single IVF cycle.
Our data is based on patients who started IVF treatment at Bourn Hall in 2022, with outcomes tracked through to 2025 where relevant.
IVF success rates by age
Age naturally influences IVF success rates, as egg quantity and quality change gradually over time. To help provide a realistic picture of IVF outcomes, we present success rates in two complementary ways.
Success from one egg collection
This measure shows the chance of having a baby from a single egg collection, including all fresh and frozen embryo transfers created from that cycle.
In other words, it reflects the full potential of one stimulated cycle – not just the outcome of the first embryo transfer.
Some IVF cycles do not produce embryos suitable for transfer. These cycles are not included in this chart so that the results focus on treatment outcomes once embryo development has been achieved.
Live birth rates after one IVF cycle (one collection of eggs) by female age group
In simple terms, this chart answers:
“If embryos are created from an egg collection, what is the chance they will eventually lead to a baby?”
Some IVF cycles do not result in embryos suitable for transfer. These cycles are not included in this chart, because no pregnancy can occur without an embryo. This allows the results to focus on outcomes once embryo creation has been achieved.
What does this statistic mean for you?
For women using their own eggs, the chance of having a baby from one egg collection is:
- Under 35 years: 58%
- 35–37 years: 49%
- 38–39 years: 32%
For many people, frozen embryos from the same cycle can offer additional opportunities without the need to repeat stimulation and egg collection.
Success within one year if treatment continues
IVF is often a journey rather than a single procedure. When frozen embryos are available, patients may return for additional transfers from the same egg collection.
This measure looks at the chance of achieving a pregnancy visible on scan within one year of starting IVF treatment, among patients who choose to continue.
Ongoing pregnancy within one year by female age group
This chart answers a different question:
“If I continue with IVF treatment, what is the chance I will become pregnant within a year in a way that leads to a baby?”
People who stop treatment after a single unsuccessful transfer are not included in this chart. This helps separate biological potential from personal, medical, or practical reasons for pausing or stopping treatment.
What does this statistic mean for you?
For patients continuing treatment with Bourn Hall, the chance of achieving a pregnancy within one year is:
- Under 35 years: 72%
- 35–37 years: 64%
- 38–39 years: 58%
- 40 years and over: around 50%
People who decide to stop treatment after a single transfer are not included in this calculation, helping the data reflect biological potential over time rather than personal treatment choices.
What do IVF success rates mean for you?
It’s important to remember that IVF success rates are averages across groups of patients, not predictions for any single individual.
Your personal chances of success depend on several factors, including:
- Age
- Ovarian reserve
- Sperm quality
- Previous fertility treatment history
- Underlying medical conditions
Statistics are helpful, but they can only tell part of your story. When you meet with our team, we take time to understand your individual circumstances and provide a more personalised view of your chances.
At Bourn Hall, we focus on understanding you as a person, not just your test results.
IVF vs ICSI success rates: Is there a difference?
In the UK, overall live birth rates for IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are very similar.
Both treatments follow the same core steps of ovarian stimulation, egg collection and embryo transfer. The difference lies in how fertilisation happens in the laboratory:
- In IVF, sperm and eggs are placed together, and fertilisation occurs naturally
- In ICSI, a specialist selects a single sperm and injects it directly into the egg
ICSI is often recommended where there are sperm quality concerns, such as low sperm count or reduced motility.
When chosen for the right clinical reasons, ICSI can improve fertilisation success. When sperm quality is normal, IVF and ICSI generally offer comparable live birth outcomes.
Your consultant will recommend the treatment approach most likely to support your individual circumstances.
Our IVF success rate data
We present IVF success rates across the Bourn Hall group because our clinics follow consistent clinical protocols, laboratory standards and patient-centred care principles. This consistency helps ensure you can expect the same high standard of treatment, whichever clinic you choose.
We understand that success statistics can feel complex. To help make information easier to explore, we also provide detailed breakdowns of results by clinic, including:
Live birth rate after one egg collection
Clinical pregnancy rate
Live birth rate per embryo transfer
You can explore as much detail as you feel comfortable with, while knowing the clinical standards behind the results remain consistent across our network.
Counting one baby per IVF journey
For clarity and fairness, our IVF success rates count outcomes up to the birth of the first baby from each treatment.
Some patients go on to have more than one child from frozen embryos or later IVF cycles. These additional births are not included here because our focus is on showing the chance of achieving that first successful outcome from a single IVF journey.
Independent guidance and advice
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) provides independent guidance on how IVF success rates should be reported in the UK and how clinic outcomes compare with national averages.
We encourage patients to review independently verified information on the HFEA website to better understand how success rates are calculated and what they mean for different treatment journeys.
Book a consultation
Choosing a fertility clinic is about more than statistics. It’s about feeling supported, informed and cared for at every stage.
If you’d like to discuss your personal IVF success rates, our friendly team is here to guide you.
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