Published: 6 November 2026
Medically reviewed by Dr. Pranay Shah, MS (Obs. & Gyn.), Founder, Director & Chief Fertility and IVF Specialist, Wellspring IVF & Women’s Hospital, Ahmedabad
Last medically reviewed: 6 November 2026
In short: choose an IVF centre by checking nine things: its registration under the ART (Regulation) Act 2021, the quality of its embryology laboratory, how honestly it reports success rates, its single embryo transfer policy, who actually performs your procedures, whether both partners are assessed, whether costs are given in writing, whether it offers only evidence-based add-ons, and whether it follows the law on sex selection and donors. Location, advertising and headline success rates matter far less than these.
1. It is registered under the ART Act 2021
Every IVF clinic in India must be registered with the national ART and surrogacy registry. Level 1 clinics may offer IUI; Level 2 clinics may offer IVF, ICSI and other laboratory procedures. Ask for the registration number and check it on the registry. Registration is the minimum, not a mark of quality, but a clinic without it should not be treating you. Surrogacy needs a separate registration under the Surrogacy Act.
2. The embryology laboratory is run to measurable standards
Most of what happens in IVF happens in the laboratory, out of sight. Good laboratories track key performance indicators, such as fertilisation rates after IVF and ICSI and the proportion of embryos that reach the blastocyst stage, against published benchmarks like the ESHRE Vienna consensus. Ask whether the lab monitors these figures and how it compares.
Air quality matters too. Embryos are sensitive to particles and chemical vapours, so modern laboratories use cleanroom design with filtered air. Wellspring’s embryology laboratory is built to an ISO Class 5 standard for cleanroom air quality.
3. Success rates are reported honestly
Two clinics can describe identical results with very different numbers. Ask:
- Is the figure a pregnancy rate or a live birth rate?
- Is it per embryo transfer, per cycle started, or cumulative from one egg collection?
- Which age group and which patients does it include?
For example, at Wellspring we report a 70%+ positive pregnancy rate in a defined group: women aged 25 to 35 who had a 4AA blastocyst transfer in 2025. That figure is real, but it is not the chance for every patient, and a good doctor will give you an estimate for your own age and diagnosis.
4. It transfers one embryo at a time by default
Transferring two embryos raises the chance of twins much more than it raises the chance of a baby. A centre that routinely transfers several embryos to improve its numbers is putting mothers and babies at avoidable risk. Read more in single versus double embryo transfer.
5. You know who will treat you
Ask who will perform the egg collection and the embryo transfer, and who you will speak to when results come in. Continuity with one experienced doctor reduces miscommunication. At Wellspring, Dr. Pranay Shah personally performs these procedures.
6. Both partners are assessed
A male factor is involved in about half of couples who cannot conceive. A centre that starts IVF without a proper semen analysis, or without examining the uterus and tubes, may be treating the wrong problem.
7. Costs are written down before you start
The ART Act requires clinics to explain the cost of treatment before you consent. You should receive a written estimate that lists inclusions, exclusions, medicines and add-ons. Compare it with our transparent IVF cost breakdown, and see our checklist of questions to ask before paying for IVF.
8. It offers only evidence-based add-ons
Many add-ons are sold with more confidence than the evidence supports. Ask, for each extra test or procedure, what it is expected to change for you. Good examples of carefully used tools are PGT for genetic disease and ICSI for male factor; routine use of either for everyone is not justified.
9. It follows the law and ethics
- No sex selection. It is illegal under the PCPNDT Act 1994 and the ART Act 2021.
- Donor gametes only from registered ART banks, with legal screening and consent.
- Altruistic surrogacy only. Commercial surrogacy is banned in India.
Putting it together
A short checklist is better than a long list of features: registration, laboratory standards, honest data, single embryo transfer, a named doctor, written costs and legal practice. If you are comparing clinics, you are welcome to ask us every one of these questions. Wellspring IVF & Women’s Hospital is an ART-registered IVF centre in Ahmedabad, founded in 2013, with more than 6,000 IVF successes. You can read more about Wellspring IVF & Women’s Hospital and how we work before your first visit.
Red flags that should make you think twice
- Guaranteed success or “money-back” promises without an assessment of your case. No honest centre can guarantee a baby.
- A single headline success rate that is the same for every age and diagnosis.
- Pressure to pay for several cycles in advance, before tests have been done.
- Any hint of sex selection or “choosing” the sex of the baby. This is a crime in India.
- Offers to arrange a paid surrogate or a “known” paid egg donor. Commercial surrogacy is banned, and donor gametes must come from a registered ART bank.
- No named doctor, or a different doctor at every visit, with no one taking responsibility for your plan.
- Reluctance to show the registration certificate or to put the cost in writing.
Comparing two centres side by side
| What to check | A reassuring answer | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | ART Act registration number shown and verifiable | “It is in process” or no number given |
| Success data | Rates by age group, with the definition of each figure | One number for everyone, with no definition |
| Embryo transfer policy | Single embryo transfer by default, with reasons for any exception | Two or three embryos routinely “to improve the chances” |
| Laboratory | Embryologists named, quality indicators tracked, controlled air quality | No information about the lab or the team |
| Doctor | A named specialist who performs your egg collection and transfer | Procedures done by whoever is on duty |
| Costs | Written estimate with inclusions, exclusions and medicines | Verbal quote only, or a price that changes after you start |
| Add-ons | Each one explained with the evidence for your case | Several extras recommended for everyone |
Questions to ask on your first visit
- What is your ART Act registration number?
- Based on our reports, what is the likely cause, and is IVF really needed, or should we try something simpler first?
- What is the live birth rate for women of my age and diagnosis at your centre, and how is it calculated?
- Who will perform my egg collection and embryo transfer, and who will I contact between visits?
- How many embryos do you usually transfer, and what happens to the extra good embryos?
- Which tests or add-ons are you recommending, and what is each expected to change for me?
- Can I have a written, itemised estimate, including an estimate for medicines?
- What happens, and what do I pay, if my cycle is cancelled or the response is poor?
Things that matter less than they seem
- The lowest price. A cheaper cycle that is poorly run, or that leaves out medicines and freezing, can cost more in the end. Compare like with like on a written estimate.
- Decor and advertising. The waiting room says little about the laboratory, where most of the outcome is decided.
- The newest technology on the list. A well-run laboratory using proven methods usually matters more than any single machine.
Distance, on the other hand, does matter more than people expect. An IVF cycle needs several monitoring visits over about two weeks, often at short notice, so a centre you can reach easily makes treatment less stressful. For couples travelling from other cities, ask how monitoring can be shared with a local doctor and how many days you will need to stay.
What a good first consultation looks like
A good first visit leaves you with a clear understanding of three things: the likely reasons you have not conceived, the tests still needed, and a step-by-step plan with honest chances at each step. You should be told when IVF is not needed. Both partners should be part of the discussion, and you should leave with the plan and the cost in writing. If you come away confused, or under pressure to decide on the day, it is reasonable to take time or seek a second opinion before you start.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing when choosing an IVF centre?
There is no single factor, but registration under the ART (Regulation) Act 2021, a well-run embryology laboratory and honest, age-specific success data matter most. A centre that cannot show all three is hard to judge.
Are higher advertised success rates always better?
Not necessarily. A rate can be quoted per transfer, per cycle started or per patient, for selected age groups, or as pregnancy rather than live birth. Ask exactly what the figure measures and for which group of patients.
What does an ISO Class 5 IVF laboratory mean?
ISO Class 5 is a cleanroom air-quality standard under ISO 14644-1 that limits the number of airborne particles. Embryos are sensitive to air quality, so clean, filtered air in the embryology lab and workstations helps protect them.
Should an IVF centre transfer more than one embryo to improve my chances?
Usually not. Transferring two embryos raises the twin rate without increasing the chance of eventually taking a baby home, compared with transferring one embryo at a time. Most good centres transfer a single embryo by default.
Is it legal for an IVF centre to offer sex selection?
No. Sex selection is illegal in India under the PCPNDT Act 1994 and the ART Act 2021. A centre that offers or hints at it is breaking the law and should be avoided.
What are the red flags when choosing an IVF centre?
Guaranteed success, one success rate for every patient, pressure to pre-pay for several cycles, any hint of sex selection, offers to arrange a paid surrogate or donor, no named doctor, and reluctance to show the registration certificate or give a written estimate.
Should I choose an IVF centre close to home?
Distance matters more than many people expect. An IVF cycle needs several monitoring visits over about two weeks, often at short notice. If you are travelling from another city, ask how monitoring can be shared with a local doctor and how long you will need to stay.
Is it reasonable to take a second opinion before starting IVF?
Yes. If the cause of infertility, the plan or the cost has not been explained clearly, or you feel pressured to decide on the same day, a second opinion is reasonable and good centres will not object to it.
Sources
- The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 and the ART (Regulation) Rules, 2022.
- ESHRE Special Interest Group of Embryology and Alpha Scientists in Reproductive Medicine. The Vienna consensus: report of an expert meeting on the development of ART laboratory performance indicators (2017).
- ISO 14644-1: Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments — classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration.
- Cochrane Review: Number of embryos for transfer following in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
