In-vitro fertilization success rate higher than ever before

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Good news for women having problems conceiving. New figures show that in-vitro fertilization is more successful than ever before.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that women who try in-vitro fertilization can now hope for a birth rate approaching that of natural fertility.

In-vitro fertilization is the process of fertilizing a woman’s eggs outside the womb, then transferring the fertilized egg to the uterus to develop.

The study of almost 250,000 women showed that 57 percent of women using reproductive technology had a live birth.

The success rate was lower if women used their own eggs, especially if they were age 38 or older.

The study might also change the thinking of health insurers that typically cover only two or three cycles of infertility treatment.

The study finds that success rates can continue to rise beyond three cycles.