IVF Success Rates Abroad: What the Numbers Really Mean in 2025

Understanding IVF Success Metrics

When fertility clinics report their success rates, they may use several different metrics — and the differences between them are significant. The most commonly reported metrics are: clinical pregnancy rate (positive heartbeat on ultrasound at 6-8 weeks), ongoing pregnancy rate (pregnancy confirmed at 12 weeks), and live birth rate (delivery of a living infant). The live birth rate is the only metric that truly matters to patients, yet it is the least commonly reported because it is always lower than pregnancy rates.

The gap between clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate can be substantial. Approximately 15-25% of clinical pregnancies end in miscarriage, meaning a clinic reporting a 60% clinical pregnancy rate may have only a 45-50% live birth rate. When comparing clinics abroad, always ask for live birth rates per embryo transfer, broken down by age group. A clinic that only reports clinical pregnancy rates, or that reports overall rates without age stratification, may be obscuring important information.

Additionally, pay attention to whether the reported rate is per cycle started, per egg retrieval, or per embryo transfer. The per-transfer rate is always the highest because it excludes patients whose cycles were cancelled (no eggs retrieved) or who had no viable embryos for transfer. A clinic with a 55% live birth rate per transfer might only have a 40% rate per cycle started — because 15-20% of cycles may be cancelled before reaching transfer.

Age: The Defining Factor

IVF Live Birth Rates by Age Group (Top International Clinics)

Rates represent live birth per embryo transfer at leading international IVF clinics. Individual clinic results may vary. Donor egg success rates remain high regardless of recipient age because egg quality is determined by the donor's age.

A woman's age is the single most powerful predictor of IVF success, and no amount of clinical expertise or advanced technology can fully overcome the biological reality of egg quality decline. After age 35, the proportion of chromosomally normal (euploid) eggs decreases steadily. By age 40, approximately 60-70% of eggs have chromosomal abnormalities; by age 43, this figure rises to 80-90%. This is why IVF success rates drop dramatically after 40 with own eggs, while donor egg IVF maintains high success rates regardless of the recipient's age.

For women under 35, leading international clinics — including Bahçeci IVF Centre in Istanbul — report live birth rates of 50-55% per transfer, which is comparable to the best US clinics. For women 38-40, the rates drop to 25-35% with own eggs. This age-related decline underscores the importance of not delaying fertility treatment and considering egg freezing for fertility preservation if you are not ready to conceive but want to preserve your options.

Clinic Factors That Impact Success

Beyond patient age, several clinic-specific factors significantly impact IVF outcomes. The quality of the embryology laboratory is perhaps the most critical factor within the clinic's control. A state-of-the-art embryology lab should maintain strict environmental controls including HEPA-filtered air, stable temperature and humidity, volatile organic compound (VOC) monitoring, and low-light conditions. The lab should be equipped with EmbryoScope+ or equivalent time-lapse incubators that allow continuous embryo monitoring without removing embryos from the controlled environment.

The experience of the embryology team is equally important. Skilled embryologists who perform ICSI with a high fertilization rate (>80%), can assess embryo quality accurately, and perform vitrification and warming with high survival rates (>95%) directly impact the number and quality of embryos available for transfer. In Turkey, clinics like Adem & Havva Center and Jinepol IVF Clinic employ dedicated embryology teams with decades of experience and ongoing international training.

• Embryo Culture System: Time-lapse incubators (EmbryoScope+) vs. traditional incubators. Time-lapse monitoring allows continuous observation without disturbing the embryo's environment, potentially improving blastocyst development rates by 10-15%.
• Single Embryo Transfer (SET) Policy: Clinics with high SET rates demonstrate confidence in their embryo selection ability. Transferring a single high-quality embryo reduces twin pregnancy risks while maintaining high success rates.
• Stimulation Protocols: Individualized stimulation protocols based on AMH levels, antral follicle count, and previous response optimize egg retrieval numbers. A good clinic retrieves 8-15 eggs per cycle for patients with normal ovarian reserve.
• Laboratory Air Quality: VOC levels below 50 ppb, positive pressure systems, and dedicated clean rooms significantly impact embryo development. Ask about the lab's air quality monitoring system.
• Cryopreservation Technique: Modern vitrification achieves >95% embryo survival rates after thawing, compared to 60-70% with older slow-freeze methods. Ensure your clinic uses vitrification exclusively.

How to Compare Clinics Fairly

Comparing IVF clinics across different countries requires a nuanced approach. A clinic reporting higher success rates does not necessarily provide better care — the difference may reflect patient selection (some clinics turn away difficult cases), transfer policies (transferring multiple embryos inflates pregnancy rates but increases risky twin pregnancies), or reporting methodology. To make fair comparisons, always request the same data points from each clinic: live birth rate per transfer for your specific age group, number of embryos typically transferred, cancellation rate, and the total number of cycles performed per year.

Volume matters in fertility medicine. Clinics performing more than 500 IVF cycles per year generally have more experienced embryology teams, more efficient laboratory workflows, and more robust quality assurance processes. The Memorial Şişli Hospital fertility center, for example, performs over 1,000 IVF cycles annually, providing its medical team with the consistent case volume needed to maintain peak performance across all types of fertility cases.

Improving Your Odds

While you cannot control your age or genetic factors, several evidence-based strategies can optimize your IVF outcomes. Maintaining a healthy BMI (18.5-24.9) improves egg quality and implantation rates. Taking CoQ10 (600mg/day) for 2-3 months before IVF may improve mitochondrial function in eggs. DHEA supplementation (75mg/day) has shown benefit for women with diminished ovarian reserve. Reducing alcohol to zero and eliminating smoking at least 3 months before treatment improves both egg and sperm quality. Managing stress through mindfulness, acupuncture, or gentle yoga during the IVF cycle may modestly improve implantation rates.

Red Flags in Success Rate Reporting

• Reporting only pregnancy rates without live birth data — this inflates numbers by 15-25%
• Not stratifying results by age group — overall rates mask the dramatic age-related decline
• Routinely transferring 2-3 embryos — high twin rates indicate the clinic prioritizes headline pregnancy numbers over patient safety
• Refusing to share detailed annual data or claiming exceptional rates without documentation
• Citing success rates from a single exceptional year rather than multi-year averages
• Not distinguishing between fresh and frozen transfer outcomes

I was overwhelmed by the conflicting success rate claims from different clinics. Flytocure helped me understand the numbers and compare clinics on a level playing field. I chose an Istanbul clinic with a strong track record for my age group, and I am now 20 weeks pregnant with my first child.

Samantha H., treated in Turkey