Study claims 15 eggs ‘ideal’ for best IVF outcomes

FIFTEEN is the magic number for women undergoing fertility treatment, a study has found.

Doctors should aim to retrieve 15 eggs from a woman’s ovaries to give her the best chance of a live birth, say scientists. Live birth rates, which vary according to a woman’s age, decline when fewer numbers of eggs are used in a single cycle of IVF treatment.

Taking more than 15 eggs is not only less safe, but also no more effective, according to the research. The chances of giving birth level off between 15 and 20 eggs and then start to fall. As more eggs are taken, the risk of complications from over-stimulation of the ovaries increases.