Will IVF work for YOU? New online calculator tells couples their chances of getting pregnant
New online app will give couples a more realistic idea the chances of success
AN IVF calculator could help thousands of Brit couples work out their chances of having a baby.
The online check, called Outcome Prediction in Subfertility, gives a percentage score on the likelihood that fertility treatment will work.
It can rate the prospects of having a baby over six courses of IVF treatment.
One is six couples is affected by infertility.
But treatment success rates remain low, with just one in four IVF cycles resulting in a live birth.
The process can put huge strain on couples’ finances and relationships.
A single cycle of IVF treatment costs around £3,500 privately.
Scientists developed the tool to try and help doctors manage patients’ expectations.
They devised the calculator by analysing the records from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
These covered over 100,000 women who had fertility treatment between 1999 and 2008.
The records revealed the chances of getting pregnant were heavily influenced by the woman’s age, the number of eggs collected and what stage of development an embryo is transferred into the womb.
In a report in the British Medical Journal researchers said: “It can predict individualised chances of live birth over a course of complete IVF cycles.
“The results are relevant for individual couples and their doctors.
“They will help shape couples’ expectations, allowing them to plan their treatments more efficiently and prepare both emotionally and financially.”