The first IVF baby ever, Louise Brown, was born on July 25, 1978 via natural IVF. The fertility industry and the IVF process has changed a lot since that time.

Difference Between Conventional IVF and Natural IVF

A conventional IVF cycle uses a series of fertility drugs to stimulate the ovaries so they produce multiple mature eggs. In approximately 50% of IVF treatment, the sperm is introduced to the egg through a process called Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in which the sperm is injected directly into the egg.

• Conventional IVF works best for people who don’t want to do multiple IVF cycles
• Conventional IVF grants the ability to produce multiple embryos at one time, so extras can be frozen.
• The average IVF success rate per egg retrieval cycle for women under 36 is close to 50%.

A natural IVF cycle is timed to work with the woman’s ovulation cycle where a single, naturally matured egg is harvested. While natural isn’t totally drug free, it requires a lot less medication.

• Natural IVF works best for couples with male infertility or women who don’t respond well to hormone therapy.
• Less drugs and cost.
• The average success rate is 7-10%.

Reason for the Trend: Amount of Time It Takes to Get Pregnant

The average number of cycles to achieve a pregnancy using conventional IVF is two while the average number for natural IVF is seven-ten. Why are they so different?

• Almost all conventional IVF cycles end up with at least one viable embryo, generally more since there are usually between 10 and 18 eggs retrieved.
• During natural IVF cycles, approximately 25% cannot retrieve an egg and another 25% don’t produce an egg that can be fertilized.

IVF Treatment Recommended

Conventional IVF is the gold standard in reproductive medicine because it’s so effective. We   recommend conventional IVF immediately because it has a greater chance of quick success. For more information visit: Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies (SART).  You can also schedule a consultation with the Reproductive Sciences Medical Center for more information.