Delaying IVF by three months doesn’t seem to affect success rates

By Jessica Hamzelou

Fertilising an egg under a microscope

Morsa Images/Getty Images

Women who wait three months longer for their IVF treatment have similar outcomes to those who are treated immediately, according to a study of women who experienced routine delays.

The findings are reassuring for people experiencing fertility treatment delays due to the covid-19 pandemic, say the study authors – although other researchers point out that not all people will have the same experience.

The coronavirus outbreak has had a knock-on effect on other healthcare services, with many countries cancelling or postponing treatments that are deemed “non-essential”. In many places, this included fertility …