In-vitro fertilization (IVF) can be life-changing, but also emotionally and financially draining when it doesn’t work right away.
Emerging therapies like red light therapy during IVF offer new hope, but what happens if they don’t lead to the success you’ve been longing for?
If IVF and red light therapy isn’t working, you deserve to understand your next options, like surrogacy. Contact us today to learn more about how surrogacy can be your quickest path to parenthood.
In this guide, we’ll explore the research, mechanisms, and next steps—up to and including whether surrogacy might be the best path forward for your family-building journey.
Is There Evidence That Red Light Therapy During IVF Increases Success?
Recent clinical exploration of red light therapy (RLT) during IVF shows promising results. A November 2024 study published by the National Library of Medicine examined three women with unexplained, age-related infertility.
Each had a history of failed IVF cycles, miscarriages or poor embryo viability. After undergoing routine PBM treatments in the weeks leading up to ovulation and embryo transfer, each woman successfully conceived and gave birth to a healthy baby.
Here’s how the study was conducted:
- Case series of three female subjects with unexplained age-related infertility issues (i.e. failure to conceive naturally beyond two years, multiple miscarriages, molar pregnancy, non-viable embryos from IVF cycles, failure to complete successful implantation of viable pre-implantation genetic tested (PGT-A) embryos)
- Previous conditions were recorded and then compared with outcomes after the patient received a course of PBM treatments
- PBM treatments were given at weekly and/or at two-week intervals using IR and NIR wavelengths between 600 nm and 1000 nm in the lead up to natural conception, IVF oocyte retrieval, blastocyst/embryo implantation, and/or the production of viable embryos.
However, researchers emphasize that while these case studies are hopeful, large-scale randomized trials are still needed to fully confirm the therapy’s effectiveness across broader populations.
Can Red Light Therapy During IVF Stims Improve Egg Quality or Ovarian Response?
When applied strategically during the stimulation phase of IVF, red light therapy during IVF stims may improve egg quality through several mechanisms:
- Enhanced mitochondrial function: Supporting cellular energy (ATP) production, vital for egg maturation
- Increased blood circulation: Improving nutrient and oxygen delivery to the ovaries
- Hormonal balance: Assisting in regulating reproductive hormone levels
- Anti-inflammatory effects: Reducing stress on the ovaries during follicle development
Some fertility clinics globally have incorporated red light therapy into their IVF protocols. Treatments typically use wavelengths between 600–1000 nm, applied weekly or biweekly leading up to oocyte retrieval or embryo implantation.
While red light therapy and IVF integration is still relatively new, growing anecdotal and clinical interest suggests that this non-invasive therapy may offer meaningful support for women seeking to optimize each IVF cycle.
If you’re struggling with egg quality or ovarian reserve, learn more about how to choose donor eggs.
Why IVF May Fail—Even with Promising Add-Ons
IVF is one of the most advanced fertility treatments available, but it still comes with no guarantees. Success depends on a complex set of biological, medical and even environmental factors.
Understanding these can help intended parents make informed decisions, especially if they’re considering treatments like red light therapy during IVF stims as part of their journey.
Here are some of the most common reasons IVF may not result in a pregnancy:
- Embryo quality: Even when fertilization occurs, not all embryos develop properly. Genetic abnormalities are a major cause of failed implantation or early miscarriage, especially in women over 35.
- Egg quality: Eggs with poor mitochondrial function or chromosomal instability may not respond well to stimulation. While therapies like red light therapy during IVF stimulation aim to enhance egg quality, outcomes still vary by individual.
- Uterine or endometrial issues: An embryo needs a receptive environment to implant. Fibroids, thin uterine lining, or scarring (Asherman’s syndrome) can prevent successful implantation even if the embryo is viable.
- Hormonal imbalance: Precise hormonal timing is essential for ovulation, egg retrieval and embryo transfer. Disruptions, whether from stress, medical conditions or poor ovarian response, can undermine the cycle.
- Unexplained infertility: For some couples, all standard tests return normal but IVF still fails. This can be the most emotionally challenging scenario, as there’s no clear answer to “why.”
Even with support therapies like red light therapy and IVF, it’s important to know that no treatment can overcome every barrier.
What to Do When Red Light Therapy During IVF Doesn’t Work: Next Steps
If you’ve tried multiple IVF cycles, perhaps with supplements like red light therapy during IVF, and you’re still not pregnant, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed.
Grief, frustration and even a sense of failure can cloud the next steps. But these feelings don’t mean the journey is over. They mean it’s time to reassess.
Here are signs it might be time to consider other paths to parenthood:
- Repeated IVF failures with or without add-ons like red light therapy
- Medical advice indicating further attempts may be unlikely to succeed
- Emotional burnout, where the process is taking a toll on your mental health
- Financial strain from paying for multiple cycles without results
- A desire to move forward with more predictable outcomes
Whether you’re facing uterine complications, recurrent miscarriages or simply ready for a change in direction, surrogacy may offer the clarity and renewed momentum you need.
Turning the Page: Could Surrogacy Be Your Next Step Toward Parenthood?
If red light therapy during IVF and other fertility interventions haven’t worked, and you’re not ready to continue IVF, surrogacy may offer a new path forward.
With surrogacy, your embryo, created using your sperm and/or eggs or with donor assistance is transferred into a surrogate’s uterus. This allows you to maintain a genetic connection while avoiding the medical complications that may make carrying a pregnancy impossible for you.
You might consider surrogacy if:
- You’ve had multiple failed IVF cycles
- You’ve experienced recurrent pregnancy loss
- You have a medical condition that makes pregnancy unsafe
- You’ve had a hysterectomy
- You’re a same-sex male couple or single intended father
Choosing surrogacy doesn’t mean giving up, it means choosing a new, empowered way forward in your parenthood journey.
Learn more about surrogacy after failed IVF.
Why More Families Are Choosing Surrogacy—and Trusting Us to Help
If you’re exploring surrogacy after unsuccessful IVF or red light therapy during IVF, American Surrogacy offers the trusted guidance and care you deserve.
We are:
- Family-focused: Founded by people who’ve lived this journey firsthand
- Efficient: Short wait times and expert-matched surrogates
- Secure: Prescreened surrogates and a risk protection program
- Compassionate: Real support from real people who care deeply
With decades of experience and thousands of families created, we’re here to help you navigate this next step with confidence.
Your Journey Isn’t Over: Explore What Comes Next With Confidence
Exploring red light therapy and IVF may offer hope, but if the road doesn’t lead where you’d hoped, there is still a path forward. Surrogacy isn’t a fallback, it’s a forward motion toward the family you’ve always dreamed of.
Let American Surrogacy be your next step in making that dream a reality.
Ready to talk? Contact us today to explore how surrogacy can help you grow your family.