In 2023, Fertility Specialists of Texas (FST) had a 96.3% retrieval start report rate for in vitro fertilization (IVF). A retrieval start report rate is the share of IVF cycles a clinic registers with the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) before egg retrieval happens, so FST’s 96.3% means nearly every cycle was on record before anyone knew how it would turn out.
That rate is the right starting point for understanding what success rate data can show, and what it can’t.
FST’s 2023 IVF Success Rates: What the Numbers Show
FST’s 2023 data, reported to SART, using a person’s own eggs across all transfers, breaks down by age at egg retrieval:
- Under 35: approximately 55.7% live birth rate (454 cycle starts)
- 35 to 37: approximately 42.2% (275 cycles)
- 38 to 40: approximately 28.9% (194 cycles)
- 41 to 42: approximately 15.8% (95 cycles)
- Over 42: approximately 11.4% (70 cycles)
Births from a retrieval cycle can happen up to two years after the cycle starts, so SART labels each year’s report preliminary until those outcomes are complete and final once they are. That is why 2023 is the most recent year with final numbers.
These figures are live births per intended retrieval, the most inclusive and honest way to measure outcomes, because every cycle that starts is counted, including cycles that are canceled, cycles that don’t produce embryos or chromosomally normal (euploid) embryos, and cycles that never reach embryo transfer. FST’s 96.3% retrieval start report rate means the clinic reported 96.3% of its IVF cycles to SART before egg retrieval, before the results of retrieval, embryo development, genetic testing, or pregnancy were known.
Even with that level of complete reporting, the raw percentage still doesn’t tell the whole story. A comparison of clinic success rates may not be personally applicable because patient medical characteristics, treatment approaches, and entry criteria for ART may vary from clinic to clinic.
FST’s SART Clinical Summary Report is publicly available on SART’s own database for anyone who wants to review the full data directly.
What IVF Success Rates Measure, and What They Don’t
Age at egg retrieval is one of the most important factors in IVF outcomes, and FST’s own data shows the same pattern, with live birth rates moving from approximately 55.7% under 35 to approximately 11.4% over 42. This reflects the biology of egg quality that applies across ART broadly, not a pattern unique to FST’s protocols.
Live birth per intended retrieval measures outcomes starting from the beginning of a cycle, but it doesn’t predict any individual’s outcome. One’s ovarian reserve, diagnosis, embryo quality, and uterine factors all shape an individual result in ways no published rate can capture on its own.
The number is just a starting point for a conversation with your care team, not a forecast of what will happen to you.
The Difference Between a Single-Cycle Rate and a Cumulative Rate
A single-cycle rate measures one retrieval and one transfer. A cumulative rate measures every live birth that resulted from one egg retrieval, including any frozen embryo transfers (FET) from that same batch of embryos. Cumulative rates run higher because they capture the full arc of treatment rather than a single attempt.
Why You Can’t Compare FST’s Rates to Another Clinic’s Rates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions that comparing success rates between clinics may not be meaningful, because clinics treat different patient populations and use different treatment methods. A clinic that accepts complex cases, including older individuals, low ovarian reserve, or prior unsuccessful cycles, will show lower raw rates than a clinic that selects only the strongest candidates.
At FST, we treat a broad patient population across our Plano, Dallas, Southlake, Rockwall, and Lubbock locations, which is part of why a raw number alone doesn’t tell the full story.
Ask which clinic has the most experience with cases like yours before asking which one has the highest number. Bring FST’s SART profile to your first consultation and ask directly how their approach applies to your specific diagnosis and history.
What FST’s 96.3% Reporting Rate Tells You
A clinic’s retrieval start reporting rate reflects how many of its cycles it registers with SART before egg retrieval, while the outcome is still unknown. FST’s 96.3% rate means nearly every cycle was on record before its outcome was known, leaving little room for selective reporting.
A low reporting rate elsewhere can be a red flag, since it may mean unsuccessful cycles are underreported in ways that inflate the published rate. Transparency in reporting says something meaningful about quality on its own, separate from the raw percentage.
Fresh vs. Frozen Transfers, and What FST’s Data Reflects
FST’s published numbers include both fresh and frozen embryo transfers together. A multicenter study of more than 8,000 first embryo transfers found comparable live birth rates between fresh transfers and frozen transfers after freezing all embryos, across every age group studied.
How to Use FST’s SART Data at Your Consultation
Start by finding your own age bracket in the data and noting the number of cycle starts behind it. Larger numbers carry more statistical reliability, since a rate based on 454 cycles reflects a more stable pattern than one based on 70.
From there, ask your care team how your specific situation, including diagnosis, prior history, and ovarian reserve, maps onto that bracket.
The most useful question you can ask is this: given my specific situation, what does your experience suggest about my likely outcomes? That question, and the answer, will tell you more than any published percentage on its own.
See the Data. Then Let’s Talk About What It Means for You.
FST has shared its real numbers transparently. A clinic willing to be this direct about its own data is also one you can trust when it makes a recommendation about your specific treatment plan.
The next step is a consultation where the care team can put these numbers in context for your situation. Wherever you are in your journey, we’re here for you every step of the way.
Request a consultation at FST and bring your questions with you.
