Patients arrive with two lists: things the internet told them to try, and things they're afraid they did wrong. Most of the internet's list doesn't hold up. A short set of factors really changes the odds. The rest mostly adds guilt without improving your chances.

What actually moves the odds

  • Age, more than anything else — egg quality declines with age in a way no supplement or protocol reverses. It's the single biggest factor, and the one nobody can change by trying harder.
  • Embryo quality and normal chromosomes — an embryo with normal chromosomes implants at a clearly higher rate than one with abnormal chromosomes, regardless of how the cycle otherwise went. This is why embryo grading and, where used, PGT-A testing (a genetic test of the embryo) help predict results.
  • The lab itself — culture conditions, incubator technology, and embryologist experience produce real, measurable differences in blastocyst formation rates between clinics. This is one of the few "which clinic" factors with genuine evidence behind it.
  • A womb lining that's ready at transfer (endometrial receptivity) — a lining of adequate thickness and the right hormonal timing at transfer measurably affects implantation. This is why frozen transfers are often timed so precisely.
  • Treating diagnosed conditions first — untreated thyroid disorders, uncontrolled diabetes, and significant untreated infections all reduce success rates and are addressed before or during stimulation whenever found.
  • Stopping smoking — this is the one lifestyle factor with genuinely strong evidence: smoking measurably lowers IVF success rates and quitting improves them.

What's popular but doesn't hold up

  • Specific "fertility superfoods" — no single food or juice has trial evidence of improving IVF outcomes. A generally balanced diet supports overall health, which is a reasonable goal on its own, but it doesn't directly change your odds.
  • Unregulated supplement stacks — CoQ10, DHEA, and similar supplements are studied in specific subgroups with mixed results; taking a large stack without a doctor's guidance isn't shown to help and can occasionally interact with medications.
  • Bed rest after transfer — lying still for days doesn't improve implantation. Normal gentle activity is fine, a point covered in more depth in the embryo transfer guide.
  • Acupuncture as a sure-fire booster — the evidence for acupuncture meaningfully changing IVF success rates is weak and inconsistent across trials, despite its popularity.
  • "Positive thinking" as a determining factor — stress management is worth doing for a patient's own wellbeing during a hard process, but there's no solid evidence that mindset alone changes a cycle's outcome. This framing also unfairly implies a failed cycle was somehow the patient's fault, which it is not.

In short: age and embryo quality set the upper limit of your chances. A good lab and the right timing help you reach that limit. Nothing on the myth list changes either.

Frequently asked

Does a specific diet improve IVF success?

A generally healthy, balanced diet supports overall health, but no specific diet has trial evidence of improving IVF success rates directly.

Is it worth taking supplements before an IVF cycle?

Discuss any supplement with your fertility doctor first — some are studied in specific situations, but an unsupervised stack isn't shown to help and isn't automatically harmless.

Did something I did cause my cycle to fail?

Almost never. Implantation is governed by embryo genetics and biology your daily choices don't control. A failed cycle is not evidence of something you did wrong.