What Do CDC Data Represent?

LinkedIVF cites clinic success-rate data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for assisted reproductive technology (ART). These data can help readers understand the published outcome measure and clinic service volume, but they do not predict an individual outcome and should not be reduced to a “best clinic” ranking.

Measure Used in the Current Chart

The chart uses Q011/F009 from the CDC 2022 Final ART Success Rates dataset. With no infertility-diagnosis filter, it shows by patient age the percentage of intended egg retrievals that resulted in live-birth deliveries.

An intended egg retrieval cycle begins when a patient starts fertility medication or ovarian monitoring with the plan to retrieve eggs. The denominator therefore retains cycles that did not progress to an actual retrieval, did not produce a transferable embryo, or did not reach transfer. It does not include only patients who completed a transfer.

Success rates for patients using their own eggs are cumulative and include related embryo transfers performed within 1 year after an egg retrieval. The U.S. comparison values in the chart are the official CDC National figures; LinkedIVF does not reweight or recalculate them.

Annual Cycle Volume Is Not the Rate Denominator

“Annual Total Cycles” and “U.S. Cycle Median” are displayed separately to describe clinic scale. They come from Q319/Total, do not enter the chart calculation, and must not be combined with the Q011 intended-retrieval denominator.

Small Samples, Suppressed Data, and No Cycles

CDC may display rates with denominators below 20 as fractions. To reduce the risk of patient identification, counts from 1 through 4 are suppressed. LinkedIVF distinguishes “not published by CDC,” “no cycles met the reporting criterion,” and a genuine 0%; missing or suppressed data are never presented as 0%.

How to Use These Data

Age, diagnosis, ovarian reserve, treatment history, patient mix, and treatment practices can all affect outcomes. CDC data are published only after treatment completion, birth follow-up, reporting, and validation, so they necessarily lag current care. Use the figures as reference information and discuss treatment options for your circumstances with a licensed reproductive-medicine professional.