Reciprocal IVF Success Rates: What You Need to Know

Imroz Rahi

• August 13, 2024

• Blog

For same-sex female couples, reciprocal IVF—also referred to as co-maternity or shared motherhood—is becoming a more popular fertility option. Through this process, both partners can participate biologically in their child’s birth by having one partner carry the pregnancy while the other provides the eggs. Numerous couples are interested in learning about the reciprocal IVF success rates and the variables that affect the results as this option becomes more and more popular. We will go into the specifics of reciprocal IVF, examine the variables that influence its success, and give you the knowledge you need to make an informed choice in this blog post.

Table of Contents

• Understanding Reciprocal IVF

• Factors Affecting Reciprocal IVF Success Rates

• What Are the Average Reciprocal IVF Success Rates?

• How to Improve Reciprocal IVF Success Rates

• The Emotional Journey of Reciprocal IVF

• Conclusion

Understanding Reciprocal IVF

It’s important to comprehend the IVF procedure itself before talking about the reciprocal success rates. A few crucial steps are involved in reciprocal IVF: 

1. Ovarian Stimulation: The partner who will donate the eggs will receive ovarian stimulation, which involves giving fertility drugs to stimulate the ovaries to produce more than one egg.

2. Egg Retrieval: After the eggs have developed, a small surgical incision is made to remove them.

3. Fertilization: In a lab environment, donor sperm are used to fertilize the recovered eggs. The development of the resulting embryos is observed.

4. Embryo Transfer: The partner who will carry the pregnancy receives the embryo(s) that are in the best health.

5. Pregnancy: Pregnancy results from the embryo’s successful implantation in the uterine lining.

Factors Affecting Reciprocal IVF Success Rates

Numerous factors can affect the success rates of reciprocal in vitro fertilization. Couples can increase their chances of success and set reasonable expectations by being aware of these factors. 

1. Age of the Egg Provider:

   • The age of the partner supplying the eggs is one of the most important variables affecting the success rates of reciprocal IVF. Women under the age of 35 are generally more likely to produce viable eggs that result in healthy pregnancies. The quantity and quality of a woman’s eggs decrease with age, which can lower the success rates of in vitro fertilization. 

2. Health and Fertility of the Egg Provider:

   • Another important factor is the partner’s general health and fertility when supplying the eggs. Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and other reproductive disorders can affect the quality of the eggs and the chances of a successful outcome. 

3. Uterine Health of the Gestational Partner:

   • Equally crucial is the partner’s health who will bear the child. The likelihood of a successful embryo implantation and subsequent pregnancy is increased in a healthy uterus with a receptive endometrial lining. Reciprocal IVF success rates can be lowered and implantation can be impacted by diseases like fibroids, polyps, or abnormalities of the uterus.

4. Quality of the Embryos:

   • Another important consideration is the calibre of the embryos produced during IVF. An embryo’s chances of implanting increase when it reaches the blastocyst stage, which occurs five to six days after fertilization. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is one of the sophisticated methods that clinics frequently use to evaluate the quality of the embryos and choose the best ones for transfer.

5. Lifestyle Factors:

   • The success rates of reciprocal IVF can also be influenced by lifestyle decisions. Keeping a healthy weight, abstaining from tobacco and excessive alcohol use, and practicing stress management are all things that can increase the likelihood of a successful pregnancy.

What Are the Average Reciprocal IVF Success Rates?

While individual circumstances and clinic-specific variations may affect reciprocal IVF success rates, overall success rates are frequently comparable to those of traditional IVF. When using fresh embryos from women under 35, the success rate for IVF is typically between 40 and 50 per cent. The success rate falls to 30–40% for women 35–37 years old, and it keeps going down as they get older.

Because reciprocal IVF involves two partners, it can have slightly lower success rates than traditional IVF because of the added complexity of the procedure. However, many same-sex female couples successfully conceive using this method provided they receive appropriate medical care and select the appropriate clinic.

How to Improve Reciprocal IVF Success Rates

There are a number of actions you can take to increase your chances of success if you’re thinking about reciprocal IVF: 

1. Choose a Reputable Fertility Clinic:

   • One of the most crucial choices you will have to make is which clinic to attend. Seek out a clinic with a supportive staff, skilled reproductive specialists, and high success rates. IVF which is reciprocal in nature may be a specialty of clinics that treat LGBTQ+ patients.

2. Optimize Your Health:

   • Prior to beginning the IVF process, both partners should concentrate on improving their health. This entails eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and taking care of any underlying medical issues.

3. Consider Genetic Testing:

   • Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) can assist in selecting the healthiest embryos for transfer, thereby improving the likelihood of conceiving a child.

4. Stay Informed and Educated:

   • Stress and anxiety can be decreased by being aware of the reciprocal IVF process and what to anticipate. Ask questions, stay up to date on your treatment options, and collaborate closely with your fertility specialist to develop a customized treatment plan.

5. Seek Emotional Support:

   • A strong support system can make a big difference in your experience with infertility treatment. The IVF journey can be emotionally taxing. To help you through it, think about joining a support group or getting counselling.

The Emotional Journey of Reciprocal IVF

In addition to being a medical procedure, reciprocal IVF is an emotional journey that both partners go through. This procedure is special in that it creates a strong sense of shared parenthood by allowing both partners to have a biological connection to the child. It’s important to understand, though, that the procedure can be emotionally taxing.

Emotions that couples may feel range from hope and excitement to fear and anxiety. Emotional exhaustion may result from the waiting times, hormone treatments, and outcome uncertainty. Throughout the process, it’s critical for couples to support one another and have open communication. 

In addition, counselling could be helpful for some couples in overcoming the emotional obstacles associated with reciprocal IVF. Utilizing the counselling services that many fertility clinics provide as part of their treatment plans is highly recommended.

Conclusion

Same-sex female couples can share the wonderful experience of parenthood through reciprocal IVF. While a number of factors affect reciprocal IVF success rates, you can greatly increase your chances of success by selecting the best clinic and making health-related changes. First Move IVF offers professional care and support throughout your fertility journey, and we are here to help you every step of the way.