What Affects IVF Success Rates: What You Can Control
While many aspects of in vitro fertilization (IVF) success—like age and genetics—are beyond your control, there are powerful steps you can take to boost your chances. From your lifestyle habits to the treatment options you choose, taking an active role in your IVF journey can make a meaningful difference. At Aspire Fertility, we believe in empowering you with knowledge because informed patients make confident decisions. Here's everything you need to know.
Key Factors of IVF Success
While every IVF cycle is different, there are a few consistent factors that play a critical role in whether treatment leads to pregnancy.
Age is one of the biggest influences. As women get older, the number and quality of their eggs naturally decline. This can make it harder to fertilize eggs or result in embryos with a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities. While IVF can help overcome some age-related challenges, success rates are generally higher for patients under 35. While you can’t reverse aging, understanding its impact allows you and your doctor to plan wisely, such as deciding whether using your own eggs or considering egg donation may offer the best chance of success.
Relatedly, egg and sperm quality are equally essential. Even if all other parts of the process go smoothly, poor egg or sperm health can impact fertilization and embryo development. That’s why thorough testing—like ovarian reserve assessments and semen analysis—is an important part of early fertility care.
The uterus also needs to be in good condition to support a healthy pregnancy. Conditions like fibroids, polyps, scar tissue, or inflammation can impair embryo implantation. A fertility specialist can use ultrasounds or hysteroscopy to investigate and treat these issues before beginning IVF treatment.
Finally, embryo quality matters. Embryos that develop properly and have a healthy number of chromosomes are more likely to implant and lead to a live birth. Fertility specialists carefully monitor embryo development in the lab and may recommend testing to help identify the most viable options.
What You Can Do: Lifestyle Habits That Matter
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the medical side of IVF, but your daily habits can have a real and measurable impact on fertility outcomes. For example:
- Nutrition can support hormonal health and egg quality. Focusing on a whole-foods diet with plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats like omega-3s can help create a nutrient-rich foundation for fertility. Reducing processed foods and added sugars may also help regulate blood sugar and inflammation, both of which are known to impact fertility.
- Quality sleep (7–9 hours per night) has been linked to better egg retrievals and IVF outcomes.
- Stress management is also key. Chronic stress has been shown to affect ovulation and hormone levels. Techniques like meditation, deep breathing, light exercise, or even talking with a therapist can help lower stress during what is often an emotionally intense time.
- And of course, avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol are essential. Both have been linked to decreased fertility, and quitting can improve both egg and sperm quality over time.
Enhancing the Process: Optional Tools to Support Success
In addition to the core IVF process, there are optional tools that can help personalize your care and improve outcomes.
Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A) is a technique used to analyze embryos for chromosomal abnormalities. While it doesn’t guarantee success, it can help identify the healthiest embryos, reduce miscarriage risk, and improve implantation rates, especially for older patients or those with prior losses.
Personalized treatment protocols are another way to support success. Not everybody responds the same way to fertility medications, which is why your care team may adjust your protocol based on how your ovaries respond during monitoring. Tailoring your treatment to your biology helps increase the chances of retrieving quality eggs and supporting embryo development.
The Value of Expert Partnership
IVF isn’t something you should navigate alone. One of the most powerful factors in your success is working with a team that truly listens—one that sees you as a whole person, not just a set of lab results.
A fertility specialist can guide you through testing, help interpret your results, and develop a plan that fits both your medical needs and your personal values. They’ll also help you weigh the pros and cons of optional add-ons like PGT-A, support you in making lifestyle adjustments, and be there to answer questions along the way.
At Aspire Fertility, we believe in care that’s rooted in science but driven by compassion. Every patient’s path is unique, and we’re here to help you make informed, confident choices no matter where you are in your journey.
If you're ready to explore your options or simply want to learn more about what’s possible, we invite you to connect with our team and take the next step toward building your family.
