Going Long: When the Finish Line May Be Further Than You Think

For all of you runners, swimmers, and cyclists, you know what it takes to prepare for that long-distance jaunt. Aside from what you should eat (#carbLOAD) and what you should wear, how far your legs or arms need to take you is pretty important. Preparation, both physical and mental, is key to crossing that finish line.

The same can be said for individuals and couples going through fertility treatment. Knowing how many rounds or cycles it will take you to reach the finish line (#baby) will help you prepare for the journey. And while this is no straight-up calculation or predetermined training plan, information such as age, ovarian reserve, and fertility history can definitely help us estimate. Here’s how far you might need to go…

There are about 180,000 IVF cycles performed in the US each year. And from these cycles, about 65,000 babies are born. Over the years, the numbers have added up, and nowadays, nearly 2% of babies born each year are a result of IVF. Simply stated, more and more people are doing IVF, and more and more babies are born after IVF. However, the number that is less clear is how many cycles it took each person to get to her personal finish line (a.k.a. a baby).

And while this statistic may elude us, what is pretty evident is that those who hang in there longer (a.k.a. complete more IVF cycles) are more likely to conceive. In fact, a recent Swedish study demonstrated that women who did three IVF cycles had about a 65% chance of pregnancy. This was higher than women who stopped at one or two. And while we are certainly not advocating endless IVF cycles, we are recommending that you go the distance based on your doctor’s recommendations.

If your doctors think you have the potential to push on (you are still making a good number of eggs, you are having advanced embryos transferred, your embryos are passing the genetic screening test), then we recommend that you keep on keeping on. Just make sure that you know how far they think you should go, and in turn, make sure they know how far you want to go.

Going back to our original metaphor, think of it like this… If someone told you that you had to run five miles and then midway through told you it was actually 10 miles (oops!), you would be pretty peeved. You would probably doubt your ability to go the distance and maybe even decide to bow out before the race was over.

On the contrary, if you planned to do a 10 miler but midway through found out the race was only half that distance, you would feel pretty good. Energized and invigorated, you would kick that race’s butt and sprint to the finish line. Fertility treatment might make you go the distance. While we certainly hope the race is over shortly after it starts, if it goes longer we don’t want to leave you out there on the course without the appropriate gear.

Information, preparation, and participation (a.k.a. a doctor who consults with you after every IVF procedure) will guide you through this often-torturous race. But having a good idea about the course before you start will make each passing mile a bit easier.