Is 40 too late for IVF?

You may have delayed childbirth for a variety of reasons and now you might be thinking it is too late for pregnancy or IVF at 40.

However, there is no age limit on this process as such. Many women across the world are planning their babies at forty years of age. 

Controlling the quality of eggs, freezing your best quality eggs as well as the utilization of donor eggs are all possible with Assisted Reproductive Technology(ART).

What are your chances of becoming pregnant with IVF at or over 40, how to conceive, and when does it become too late for in vitro fertilization are the questions we would be answering in this article. 

Chances of Getting Pregnant at 40

With natural ways, a woman under 30 has a 20% chance of conceiving every month while at 40 it is 5% for every menstrual cycle. However, IVF changes all that.

This happens because there is a decline in the number of eggs with time. 

As the chances of becoming pregnant naturally over 40 are lesser, you can significantly increase your chances with assisted reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization.

It increases the odds from 5% to up to 20% depending on your fertility, specific condition, and medical history.

IVF Treatment for Women Over 40

Apart from quantity, the quality of eggs also comes down at and after 40. The eggs’ quality is the most vital factor affecting the quality of the embryo.

However, with IVF, we aim to get multiple embryos so we can choose the best ones( by testing) and implant them back into the womb. 

Another parameter that is affected with advancing age is the chromosomal status of egg cells. For women over 40 years of age, nearly one-third of the eggs have chromosomal abnormalities.

This percentage increases further with age. 

ART provides the advantage of genetically testing the eggs for chromosomal disorders and discarding those.

It gives hope to women who want to embrace motherhood but are scared about genetic abnormalities and miscarriage. 

Moreover, In-vitro-fertilization gives the option of becoming pregnant with your own oocytes rather than donor eggs.

New techniques are exercised in IVF that utilize a low and controlled use of follicle-stimulating hormones to get the best quality of eggs from the ovaries.

It is also called mini-IVF and is pretty successful for women over 40 who do not wanna use donor eggs. 

With donor eggs, of course, the good quality ones out of those can be successfully used for fertilization and subsequent implantation.

Also Read: The Importance of IVF and The Possibilities it Offers

 Conceiving Over 40

No matter what age, women should plan their pregnancies with their doctors in advance. There are a few diseases that are harmful to the reproductive system and may cause problems with fertility or genetic abnormalities in the future child.

In that case, you can freeze your eggs, embryos or both and preserve them for pregnancy via IVF later. You can try several things such as prenatal vitamins, exercising regularly and adopting healthy food habits, staying away from alcohol, smoking, and caffeine.

“Furthermore, there might be a risk of genetic abnormalities in the offspring,” says Dr. Shivani, leading Infertility Specialist in Ludhiana.  

 What Age Is Too Late for Ivf?

The process of IVF involves the entire process of ovulation, chromosomal screening, fertilization, and embryo transfer.

However, the woman has to carry the child for the next nine months and it is important that she be healthy enough for that.

There are different laws in different countries. There is a general ruling by doctors as well as governments that assisted reproductive technologies ART should not be used for women over 50.

Although there are many incidences and also the example of a woman who has given birth through in-vitro-fertilization at the age of 66! However, most clinics accept cases up to 50 years of age. 

Conclusion

Recent developments along with advancements in IVF methodologies mean that more women can become mothers in their 40s.

An increasing number of women are freezing their eggs in their most fertile age( below 35). These eggs give them a chance to have their genetic offspring with in vitro fertilization without using egg donors.

If required, ‘Fertility clinics help you contact egg or sperm donors’, says Dr. Shivani. ‘ Our expert doctors have shown excellent success rates for IVF, almost a hundred percent. 

The odds of a successful full-term pregnancy for women over 40 may differ from those who are below 35 years but we have had excellent results. It all depends on your medical history, discuss your options with those who care. Contact now.