How common is it for IVF to fail?


Editorial team Published on

The failure rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) depends heavily on maternal age and the number of cycles attempted, with first-cycle failure rates ranging from roughly 45% for women under 35 to over 90% for women over 40.

Failure Rates by Age (First Cycle)

  • Under 35: ~45% failure rate (approx. 55% success/live birth rate)
  • Ages 35–37: ~59% failure rate (40.5% success rate)
  • Ages 38–40: ~74% failure rate (26.4% success rate)
  • Over 40: ~92% failure rate (8.2% success rate)

Cumulative Failure Rates (After Multiple Cycles)

Because IVF is a cumulative process, success rates improve—and failure rates drop—when a patient undergoes multiple consecutive cycles using their own eggs:

  • Under 35 (After 3 cycles): Failure rate drops to about 20% to 33% (cumulative success up to 80%–67%).
  • Ages 40–41 (After 3 cycles): Cumulative failure rate remains high at roughly 75% (25% success rate).

You can estimate personalized probabilities using the CDC IVF Success Estimator.

Common Stages and Causes of Failure

An IVF cycle can fail at several distinct biological steps:

  • Poor Ovarian Response or Canceled Cycle: Medication fails to stimulate follicles adequately.
  • Failed Fertilization: Eggs do not fertilize normally with sperm in the lab.
  • Chromosomal Abnormalities (Aneuploidy): Embryos develop abnormal genetics, frequently related to maternal age, causing them to stop growing or fail to implant.
  • Implantation Failure: A high-quality or genetically tested embryo is transferred to the uterus, but fails to attach to the uterine lining.
  • Early Pregnancy Loss: A chemical pregnancy or clinical miscarriage occurs after initial implantation.