Study: More IVF tries improve the odds of having a baby

CHICAGO, Ill. (WPVI) -- There is encouraging news for families facing infertility and using in-vitro fertilization, or IVF.

New research shows the chances for success goes up with more full cycles.

Most couples stop after three or four failed attempts.

However, researchers in this study say trying again and again may be the trick.

"Women who are under 40 and using their own eggs within the first cycle, the success rate was 33 percent," said Debbie Lawlor, Ph.D., of the University of Bristol in the U.K.

"It remained over 20 percent. By their 6th cycle, they'd a cumulative live birth rate of 68 percent," Dr. Lawlor added.

But while this is encouraging, the study did not look at risks associated with multiple cycles, nor did it look at the cost, which can be tens-of-thousands of dollars.

The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.