1 in 5 women who needed IVF to get pregnant went on to conceive naturally, according to data spanning 40 years

Researchers at University College London assessed the likelihood of subsequent pregnancies for those who rely on fertility treatment to have their first child – using 11 studies involving more than 5,000 women from 1980 to 2021. The results were published Tuesday in the journal human reproduction.

“Our findings suggest that natural pregnancy following the birth of a child via IVF is far from rare. This contrasts with commonly held views – by women and health professionals – and those commonly expressed in the media, that this is an inconvenient event. highly likely,” Dr Annette Thwaites, study author and researcher at the EGA Institute for Women’s Health at University College London, said in a paper. press release.

Since IVF was first introduced in the late 1970s, it has become more prevalent with the World Health Organization reporting that around 9% of men and 11% of women have infertility problems.

A 2018 Pew A third of Americans have used fertility treatments or know someone who has; In 2019, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that just over 2% of pregnancies in the United States occur from assisted reproductive technologies (ART); Around the same time, since the technology’s inception, more than 8 million babies were born globally using IVF.

Fertility education

The researchers consider the findings particularly important, as many people may not realize they can conceive naturally after fertility treatment.

“Often, people are referred directly to IVF clinics, even if they have a chance of conceiving naturally,” says Dr. Neil Shah, OB-GYN and medical director at Maven, Inc. luck. “We’ve seen more of this trend over time.”

As people navigate their specific fertility conditions, the study highlights the importance of accurate information so that people understand their chances and can make decisions. Providers should focus on providing patients with appropriate services, Shah says, by understanding their symptoms and conditions — which can be challenging because about a third of all infertility cases are unexplained.

“IVF is like a stopping point in the journey. What people want is the shortest path to a healthy baby,” he says. “If ARP is the right way to do it, then we have to make sure people have access, but if they are able to get pregnant naturally, we have to help them with that.”

For those who might assume they can’t conceive naturally, this can lead to them getting pregnant again quickly or when they’re not ready – which can be problematic for both the health of the caregiver and the baby.

Dr. Shima Tariq discovered that the odds of her getting pregnant naturally were very low, so she underwent six rounds of IVF to give birth to her son. At age 43, she says, she was told her odds of having another child were less than 1% naturally. But less than a year later, she found out she was pregnant.

“My doctor briefly reminded me of contraception after he was born, but we laughed and agreed it wasn’t relevant. It never occurred to me that I might get pregnant (despite being a sexual health doctor),” she says in the press release. “It was the most amazing surprise, but when we first found out I felt overwhelmed and unprepared for another pregnancy.”

Since infertility can lead to a host of mental and physical health challenges, it is important for those looking to conceive a child to be armed with the right information.

“People want the shortest path to having a healthy baby, and so it’s really one of the only areas of healthcare where we have such a clear objective function,” says Shah. “The big takeaway from this study is that we’re not doing it now.”