Did You Know? Understanding Fertility Success Rates

At No.1 Fertility, we know every IVF journey is unique. However, several factors can influence the likelihood of achieving pregnancy through IVF.

Age is one of the most significant influences. As women get older, both the quantity and quality of eggs gradually decline, which can make conception more difficult over time. Male fertility can also change with age, with sperm quality often gradually decreasing from the mid-forties.

Lifestyle factors may also influence reproductive health. Maintaining a balanced diet, achieving a healthy weight, limiting alcohol and caffeine, avoiding smoking and recreational drugs, and reducing exposure to environmental toxins such as endocrine disrupting chemicals sometimes found in plastics and cosmetics may help support egg and sperm health.

At No.1 Fertility, our specialists consider all these factors when developing a personalised treatment plan tailored to your individual circumstances to give you the best chance of success.

Every fertility journey is different, which means IVF outcomes can vary from person to person. Factors such as age, the underlying cause of infertility, and the number and quality of embryos available for transfer may all influence treatment outcomes.

When reviewing IVF statistics, it is important to remember that not all cycles are identical. Published data can provide useful context, but it may not reflect an individual patient’s situation.

The best way to understand what IVF outcomes may look like for you is to discuss your medical history and fertility profile with a specialist. They can explain how general data may relate to your specific circumstances.

If you are already undergoing treatment, it can also be helpful to compare outcomes that most closely match your cycle type. For example, results may differ between fresh and frozen embryo transfers and comparing outcomes for patients in a similar age group can provide more meaningful context.

Embryo grading is an important part of the IVF process. It allows embryologists to assess how an embryo is developing before deciding whether it is suitable for transfer or freezing.

Embryos that demonstrate strong growth and development patterns are generally considered to have a higher potential for implantation.

At No.1 Fertility, our embryologists combine their expertise with advanced artificial intelligence technology called iDA. This system analyses footage captured by time-lapse incubators to assess subtle developmental patterns that may not be visible to the human eye.

By integrating AI insights with expert embryologist assessment, our team can make more informed decisions when selecting embryos for transfer, helping to identify the embryo most likely to achieve a successful pregnancy for you.

At No.1 Fertility, we use a range of advanced laboratory technologies designed to support optimal fertilisation conditions.

One of these tools is polarised light microscopy, which allows our scientists to visualise a delicate structure inside the egg known as the spindle.

The spindle contains the egg’s genetic material (DNA) and plays a key role during fertilisation. By identifying its location before performing ICSI, embryologists can carefully position the sperm injection to avoid disrupting this structure.

This level of precision helps support optimal fertilisation conditions and embryo development.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in IVF laboratories to assist embryologists in evaluating embryo development.

At No.1 Fertility, we use an AI system called iDA, which analyses detailed footage captured by our time-lapse incubators to evaluate each embryo’s development.

The technology evaluates subtle features and embryo growth that may not always be visible through standard observation.

When combined with the expertise of experienced embryologists, this technology provides additional information to support embryo selection decisions.

Time-lapse incubators allow embryos to develop in a carefully controlled environment while being continuously monitored.

Unlike traditional methods, time-lapse systems capture images around the clock without disturbing the culture conditions.

This continuous monitoring enables embryologists to observe every stage of development, from fertilisation through to blastocyst formation. By reviewing this detailed developmental timeline, they can better understand how each embryo is progressing and make more informed decisions about which embryos to transfer or freeze for future use.

At No.1 Fertility, we offer pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) to help identify embryos with the correct number of chromosomes or those free from known genetic conditions before transfer.

The process involves carefully removing a small number of cells from the embryo once it reaches the blastocyst stage, usually around day five or six of development. Our highly skilled embryologists perform a trophectoderm biopsy, the gold standard technique for PGT, by collecting cells from the outer layer of the embryo that will later form the placenta. This procedure is performed with great care to protect the embryo’s developmental potential.

PGT may be particularly helpful for patients who have experienced recurrent miscarriage, multiple unsuccessful IVF cycles, or who carry a known genetic condition.

After the biopsy, embryos are carefully frozen while the genetic testing is completed. Once results are available, embryos identified as chromosomally normal can be transferred in a later frozen embryo transfer cycle.