IVF (NHS)

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: NHS (National Health Service, UK) · Published: August 16, 2026 · Accessed: August 16, 2026

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Claims this source supports

• Your chance of having a baby using IVF can depend on many factors, including what's causing your fertility problems, your age, your BMI, and lifestyle factors such as smoking or drinking alcohol.
• On the NHS, IVF is generally available to people aged 42 and under; people aged 40-42 may be eligible for one full cycle if they meet the criteria, and your doctor will talk with you about the risks of IVF in women aged 40 and over.
• Before IVF can start, tests are needed to check that your ovaries will respond normally to fertility medicine.
• A full cycle of IVF usually takes around 3 to 6 weeks and follows a standard sequence: ovarian suppression, daily fertility-medicine injections, ultrasound checks, egg collection, fertilisation in the lab, and embryo transfer.
• When you have fertility medicine to stimulate ovulation, there is a small chance of too many eggs developing in your ovaries (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome), which your clinic will discuss with you.