Guides

Guides to reading the numbers

Short, cited explanations of what the CDC clinic report measures, written for patients comparing clinics.

• How to Read CDC IVF Success Rates: Retrievals, Transfers and Cumulative Rates

  What each row of the CDC clinic report measures, why per-retrieval rates are cumulative and per-transfer rates are not, and what fractions and dashes mean.

• What the IVF Age Bands Mean: Under 35, 35-37, 38-40 and Over 40

  Why the CDC splits success rates into four age groups, how far national rates fall across them, and why donor-egg rates are not split by age at all.

• Questions to Ask a Fertility Clinic About Costs and Insurance

  A checklist for the finance consult: what a cycle quote includes and leaves out, what to ask your insurer and HR, and why a state mandate may not cover you.