As most people will require more than one cycle of treatment to have a baby, the success rates for one embryo transfer have limited value. IVF should instead be considered a course of treatment.

In a fresh IVF cycle one or two embryos will be transferred with any remaining good quality embryos frozen for use later. This allows you to have extra attempts at achieving a pregnancy without having another fresh cycle. A frozen embryo transfer cycle requires less medication and is less expensive than a full cycle of IVF.

Based on extensive research, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)* recommends that for the best chance of a successful outcome, patients should be offered up to three cycles of IVF on the NHS.

Between 2009 and 2014 three cycles of treatment were offered to all patients in Hertfordshire and Essex who met the NHS criteria for funding. As a result, 8 out of 10 women having up to three cycles of treatment at Bourn Hall had a baby. (Note: this level of funding is no longer available.)

In view of the reduction of this level of funding in most of the East of England, Bourn Hall has partnered with Access Fertility to offer multi-cycle packages to give these same chances of success to self-funding patients.