Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center

IVF clinic in Boston, MA. Live-birth success by patient age (own eggs, per intended egg retrieval) from the CDC's national ART registry (2021).

Reading this clinic's numbers

At Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center, reported live birth per intended egg retrieval with own eggs runs about 47.6% for patients under 35 — above the US national average of 46.0% for that age band, easing to about 0.0% by the >40 band. These are clinic-reported CDC figures and reflect the clinic's patient mix as much as its laboratory — a clinic that treats more older or complex patients will show a lower headline rate even with excellent care.

What this means in practice: a success rate is per attempt, not a guarantee. At an under-35 rate near 47.6%, roughly two egg retrievals are typically needed for a strong cumulative chance of a baby; at the older-age rate near 0.0%, many more — which is why cost per baby (cycle price multiplied by the cycles you are likely to need) is the honest figure to compare, not the headline percentage.

A US IVF cycle typically costs €15,000-25,000. Because own-egg success falls steeply with age, for patients over about 38 the cost per baby often favours donor-egg treatment in the EU, where live birth holds near 48% per transfer at any recipient age and a cycle costs €4,600-6,500 (Czechia, Greece, Spain). Model your own case in the cost-per-baby calculator.

This clinic's age pattern: strong results in younger patients (47.6% under 35) but a steep decline by >40 (0.0%). This is typical for all US clinics given the biology of egg aging. The key implication: at 40+, cost per baby from EU donor-egg cycles is often far lower, even at this clinic's strong baseline.

What the registries actually show

IVF success is driven mainly by maternal age and egg type, not by the country you choose. The public registries put own-egg live birth at roughly:

• United States (CDC ART, 2021): live birth per egg retrieval with own eggs — under 35 49.7%, 35-37 36.3%, 38-40 23.1%, over 40 7.7%.
• United Kingdom (HFEA, 2023): live birth per embryo transferred — ages 18-34 about 35%, 43-44 about 5%; national average about 25%.
• Donor eggs (ESHRE/EIM): about 48% per transfer, broadly independent of the recipient's age — the single biggest lever after 40.