Study Finds Higher Than Expected Chance of Natural Pregnancy After IVF

Researchers have found that the chance of becoming pregnant naturally after having an IVF baby is about one in five, which is higher than previously thought.

The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, analyzed data from more than 5,000 women and found that natural pregnancies were common within three years of having a baby through fertility treatment.

The NHS advises couples who have been trying to conceive for a year without success to see their GP, as fertility problems can be permanent or come and go, affecting either partner, and may not be diagnosed until after a year of trying.

Fertility treatments, such as IVF, are not always free on the NHS and can cost up to £5,000 or more.

Shema Tariq, from London, was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve and told her chances of conceiving naturally were almost zero, but it took six rounds of IVF to conceive her son, who was born in 2018.