IVF over 40: realistic odds and the smartest path

Data sources & medical review

The success rates, cost ranges and legal-eligibility rules on this page are compiled from public clinical registries and national guidelines — not opinion. They are planning estimates and do not replace advice from a licensed fertility specialist.

Reviewed against: HFEA (UK), SART/CDC (US), ESHRE/EIM (EU) and NICE CG156.

• CDC ART 2021 National Summary (US) — US live-birth per egg retrieval, own eggs: under 35 49.7%, 35-37 36.3%, 38-40 23.1%, over 40 7.7%.
• HFEA Fertility Treatment 2023: trends & figures (UK) — UK live-birth per embryo transferred, own eggs: ages 18-34 ~35%, 43-44 ~5%; national average ~25%; ~1 in 5 births used donor eggs/sperm.
• HFEA Fertility Treatment 2021: preliminary trends & figures — UK birth rate per embryo transferred: 40-42 ~10%, 43-50 ~4% (2021).
• ESHRE / EIM - European IVF monitoring — Donor-egg live-birth ~48% per transfer, broadly independent of recipient age.
• Cumulative live-birth with own eggs - PMC10591412 — Cumulative live-birth with own eggs plateaus with fewer cycles for each year of age over 42.
• NICE CG156 - Fertility problems (UK) — UK clinical guideline on IVF access criteria and number of funded cycles.

Compiled and fact-checked by the BabyPath editorial team against the primary sources above · last reviewed 2026-06-12 · BabyPath is an independent cross-border comparison platform, not a clinic. Always consult a licensed clinician before starting treatment.