Planning on In Vitro Fertilization; myth vs. fact on fertility rates Many couples who are having difficulties conceiving consider the options of adoption or IVF ( In Vitro Fertilization). While neither path is easy, many couples choose IVF after natural conception has worked poorly for them. The problem though is in the numbers. Some insurance plans to cover the cost of IVF, however it is very costly in the United States (some couples go out of the country to have this done at a lower cost) and you are not guaranteed to bring a baby to term. The problem is the data vs. your emotions. While you want to have a child badly, you are more likely to interpret the data on live births poorly since the data is hard to decipher. The truth is that IVF, while an effective means of conception, is not as effective as we are told it is, often leading to an expensive disappointment, while a woman puts her body through a series of trials with enhanced hormone supplementation that is difficult and is likely bad for her overall health. Read the latest article on this from the NY Times here By HANNAH SELIGSON APRIL 28, 2014 Here's the question on the minds of people who spend tens of thousands of dollars on fertility treatments: What are my chances of having a healthy baby? As it turns out, it's not always easy to tell. Since 1992, clinics have been required to report their success rates, defined as the number of live births per in vitro fertilization cycle, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are also supposed to report how many cycles they perform and whether the cycles involve the woman's own eggs or donor eggs, among other factors. But there is little regulatory enforcement of these requirements by either the C.D.C. or the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies, the association that forwards this data to the agency. Roughly 10 percent of clinics do not report at all. This is a multibillion-dollar industry, and there is financial pressure for clinics to claim frequent success. "Clinics are competing with each other based on pregnancy and live birthrates," said Dr. Vitaly Kushnir, a reproductive endocrinologist in New York who researches success rates. The clinics do not want give out negative data that might drive away patients. read more