Results That Make Us Proud

We constantly monitor the outcomes of our treatments in an effort to improve our success.  Our laboratory has been built with a very advanced air handling system, anti-vibration system, and organic chemical monitoring.  While this technology is expensive, the results are worth every bit of the cost.  In addition to the lab and equipment used, the scientists and staff behind the technology are just as important.  Delivering outstanding pregnancy rates with compassion and individualized service will continue to set us apart from other clinics.  We take great pride in our family atmosphere and our impressive results.  Many factors must be considered when choosing a fertility clinic, but ultimately a healthy pregnancy is the goal.  The table below presents the clinical pregnancy rates per egg retrieval procedure for the 2016 calendar year.

2016 Pregnancy Rates per Egg Retrieval

 Age at Retrieval <35 yo 35-37 38-40 >40 Oocyte Recipients
Total Egg Retrievals 79 55 29 29 77
Patients with at least 1 transfer 73 44 22 13 77
Clinical pregnancy rate per egg retrieval 80.8% 84.1% 72.7% 53.8% 92%

This table shows patients that had an egg retrieval in 2016 and at least one embryo transfer through a fresh or frozen embryo transfer FET. The rates shown include all egg retrieval procedures performed in 2016 when patients were using their own eggs. IVF cycles with and without preimplantation genetic screening, or PGS, were included.

Average number of embryos transferred = 1.7 and twins with fetal cardiac activity on ultrasound 33%. These numbers are for all age groups and may vary when broken into individual age brackets.

Clinical Pregnancies

Pregnancy rates are presented as clinical pregnancies defined as a gestational sac in the uterus on an ultrasound.  Please note that these statistics will not reflect subsequent miscarriage rates.  Be careful when evaluating rates to be sure you understand the differences between biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, and live birth.  Positive pregnancy tests will be higher than clinical pregnancy rates.  Live birth rates will be lower, but take longer to collect the data.  Over the last few years, California IVF has implemented several changes that resulted in drastic improvements in success with our IVF program.  The rates shown above speak volumes about our dedication to be successful and help people build families.

Age

Age is one of the most important factors affecting overall pregnancy rates.  As age increases, pregnancy rates normally decline.  Variations in the expected rates of success can be affected by the occurrence of more severe fertility issues.  There are limited options available to overcome the effects of age.  Due to previous research on egg and embryo quality and ongoing process improvement in the lab, we’ve been able to influence some of the impact on the oocyte ageing process following egg retrievals.  These modifications have been part of the changes that are leading to a new era in IVF outcomes.

Embryo Freezing

When evaluating a program, it is also essential to consider the pregnancy rate associated with frozen embryo transfers.  When there are extra embryos that are not transferred, they are frozen for later use.  A program with a higher than average pregnancy rate using frozen embryos will increase a woman’s overall chances of success.  Our success with frozen embryos has consistently remained high and has been boosted by optimizing a newer technique called vitrification.  Many clinics are still struggling to refine their techniques while California IVF has vitrification to change the way IVF services are performed.

Multiple Pregnancies

Clinics that transfer higher numbers of embryos to achieve a higher rate of success will have an increased risk of triplet pregnancies.  When evaluating a clinic’s success, take note of the rate of triplet pregnancies.  A high percentage of triplet pregnancies represents a significant risk to the mother and baby.  Every effort should be made to minimize the number of triplet pregnancies associated with IVF.  Because of recent improvements in IVF that have lead to increased success, many patients are opting to transfer only one embryo to minimize the chances of twins and reduce the risks associated with twins.

Donor Eggs

The success achieved with donor eggs is often a hallmark of the quality of an embryology laboratory.  Using donor eggs, variables such as age, different causes of infertility, and response to treatment protocols are usually minimized.  Because donor eggs have a very low rate of chromosome or genetic abnormalities, the expected rate of pregnancy is usually very high.  To further demonstrate the competency of our laboratory and embryology staff, our California Conceptions Donor Embryo Program uses donor sperm and donor eggs with an estimated clinical pregnancy rate of 70-75% per try when 2 embryos are used.  With the three tries offered by the program, more than 95% of program participants have a successful outcome.

Pregnancy Rates and Individuals

While it is common for patients to look at pregnancy rates to determine the success of the clinic and estimate their chances, it is important to remember these numbers represent outcomes for a group of patients.  Individuals can have significant problems with sperm or egg quality that will cause them to have a lower than average chance of pregnancy.  Our outcomes with donor embryos are consistently high because the quality of what we are working with remains consistently high.  Patients with poor quality eggs or severe sperm issues can still benefit from a program performing at a high level.  When an embryo is compromised due to quality issues, being in a lab with a higher success rate will likely improve the chances of survival and success compared to a lab with lower pregnancy rates.  The factors that may increase or decrease a woman’s individual chances will be reviewed and discussed in detail during an IVF consultation.

The Right Place

We are extremely proud of these numbers.  If you are considering IVF, donor eggs, or just want to know more about your options, please call to schedule your new patient appointment to take advantage of these outstanding pregnancy rates.

CDC and SART

Many patients, and even fertility specialists, are confused by CDC and SART.  Federal laws mandate reporting of outcomes to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  The CDC currently uses a system called NASS to collect and verify pregnancy outcomes.  SART is a membership organization that requires dues and additional expenses.  One of the services of SART is to collect and submit data to SART.  California IVF reports annually to CDC through NASS.  You may find more information concerning statistics and selecting an infertility program through ASRM and the Center for DIsease Control (CDC). If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.

Disclaimer
Many factors influence the success of a clinic.  Statistics cannot be the only criteria used in selecting which clinic is “best”.  Factors such as patient selection, miscarriages, and difficulty of cases may influence treatment outcomes.  While we are proud of our success, you should select a program that best fits you based on your individual problem and desires.  We welcome you to call with questions or schedule a free tour to become more familiar with our clinic before you commit to treatment.