How many times can you do IVF in a year?

3 February 2026

Dr Raj Jaspal

By Dr Raj Jaspal, Fertility Consultant and Gynaecologist, The Evewell West London

If you’re asking this question, it may be because you’re trying to hold onto hope while also preparing yourself for what IVF can involve.

For some people, IVF works quickly. For many others, it doesn’t. And when a cycle hasn’t gone the way you hoped, it’s completely natural to start wondering what comes next.

How soon can you try again? How many times can your body keep doing this? And how do you make decisions when each round carries so much emotional weight?

These are not just medical questions. They’re also deeply human ones. And they deserve thoughtful, honest answers.

I’ve been on my own fertility journey, and now as a fertility consultant at The Evewell West London, I’m often faced with patients who’ve had failed IVF cycles and don’t know what to do next. One of the questions I get asked is “How many times can you do IVF in a year?”

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What counts as “one round” of IVF?

One IVF cycle usually includes the stimulation phase, egg collection, fertilisation in the lab, and either a fresh embryo transfer or freezing embryos for later use. Click here for an article on what to expect in a typical IVF cycle.

Some people go through a full cycle and never reach transfer. Others may have embryos frozen and return for several frozen embryo transfers afterwards.

That is why IVF can feel like a series of steps rather than one single event, and why the number of “attempts” in a year can look different from person to person.

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How many IVF cycles can you safely do in a year?

Medically, many patients can undergo around two or three egg collection cycles in a year, and in some cases, more, depending on their individual circumstances.

But it is important to say this: just because something is physically possible doesn’t always mean it’s emotionally or medically the right thing to push through repeatedly without pause.

After an unsuccessful cycle, many patients feel a strong urgency to try again quickly. That feeling makes complete sense. I’ve been there myself.

But IVF is not only about moving forward; it’s also about recovery, reflection, and making sure each next step gives you the best chance possible.

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How soon can you try again after a failed cycle?

You can technically begin another IVF cycle after your next period, which may be around four to six weeks later. This is often called a “back to back cycle”.

However, the timing depends on what happened during the cycle.

You may be advised to wait a little longer if:

• Your ovaries need time to settle
• The stimulation response was difficult
• There were complications such as OHSS
• You need further investigations
• You simply just need space to breathe before starting again

Taking a pause is not a waste of time. For many patients, it’s part of safe and compassionate care.

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You can have multiple frozen embryo transfers in a year

If you have embryos frozen, transfers can sometimes happen more frequently, because the body isn’t going through the same ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval process each time.

For some patients, one egg collection cycle may result in several transfer attempts throughout the year, depending on the availability of embryos and the uterus’s preparation.

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Is there a limit to how many times you can have IVF?

There’s no absolute rule that says you must stop after a certain number of IVF cycles. What matters most is that treatment doesn’t become repetitive without answers.

At The Evewell, not only do you benefit from all doctors reviewing your treatment at our Daily Bloods Review meeting, but we also always take time to carefully review after each cycle, especially after disappointment, to understand:

• What worked
• What didn’t
• Whether anything needs to change
• What support do you need going into the next step

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When IVF takes more than one attempt

One of the hardest parts of IVF is that you can do everything right and still not get the result you hoped for.

If you’ve already been through failed cycles, you may feel exhausted, anxious, or emotionally numb at the thought of doing it again. That’s normal.

It’s also why the question is rarely just “how many times can I do IVF in a year?”

More often it’s:

• How many times can I keep doing this?
• How do I protect myself while still holding onto hope?
• How do I know when to continue?

These conversations are deeply personal, and they deserve time, honesty, and care.

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Planning more than one cycle in a year

If you’re considering multiple IVF cycles within a year, for whatever reason (maybe you want to freeze embryos for later use), one of our team can help you create a plan that feels medically sound and emotionally manageable.

This might include:

• Back-to-back cycles in some circumstances
• A short break to recover before continuing
• Adjusting medication protocols
• Considering additional testing
• Building embryos through more than one retrieval
• Ensuring psychological support is in place

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Support matters as much as medicine

IVF is not simply a treatment you repeat. It’s something you live through.

So if you’re thinking about trying again, or questioning how many times you can keep going, please know that you are not alone in that uncertainty. Our team are always on hand, and Amy – our head of Marketing and an ex-IVF patient – often speaks to patients via Instagram DMs who are going through treatment. 

At The Evewell, we will always take the time to understand your individual journey and help you move forward in a way that is safe, compassionate, and centred on you.