Treating Infertility Over 40

Fertility Treatment for Over 40

Age affects the success of fertility treatments, such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), fertility drugs and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

For example, in women over 40 the success rate of using fertility drugs with intrauterine insemination is generally less than 5 percent per cycle, according to The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

Treating Infertility with IVF after 40

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is more effective for women in their 40s. At HRC Fertility clinics, the IVF success rate for a woman using fresh embryos from non-donor eggs is 24 percent for women over 40.

Trying to Conceive over Age 40

If you are a woman over 40, your chance of getting pregnant naturally is only about 5 percent per month, according to ASRM. For women ages 40 to 44, 29 percent are infertile, compared to only 15 percent of women ages 30 to 34 and 7 percent of women ages 20 to 24.

As you age, the eggs in your ovaries also age and are more likely to have genetic abnormalities. For example, a woman who is age 40 has a 1 in 106 chance of having a baby with Down Syndrome compared to a woman who is 35 who has a 1 in 378 chance.

Not only is it harder to get pregnant in your 40s, your risk of miscarriage is higher. At age 20 to 24, a woman’s risk of miscarriage is 10 percent; at 30 to 34, the risk is 12 percent, at 40 to 44, the risk 34 percent, and at over age 45, the risk of miscarriage is 53 percent according to ASRM.

Consider Being an Egg Donation Recipient

If you are older and have not succeeded with other fertility treatments, or you have premature ovarian failure (early menopause), egg donation from a younger woman could be the right choice for you. Your chance of getting pregnant during an IVF cycle is much higher, and your risk of miscarriage is much lower if you use using donor eggs from a younger woman.

At HRC Fertility, the ongoing pregnancy rate for women using donor eggs and IVF is 58 percent for all ages combined.

A gestational carrier is an option for women who cannot carry a pregnancy to term for medical reasons or due to problems with the uterus. With a gestational carrier, the intended mother’s eggs, or donor eggs, are fertilized by the male partner’s sperm or donor sperm, and the resulting embryo is placed in the uterus of the gestational carrier. The gestational carrier is not related to the child genetically and gives the baby to you and your partner at birth.

Contact Us to Discuss IVF for Women Over 40

If you are over the age of 40 and have been trying to conceive for six months or longer, schedule a consultation with an HRC fertility doctor to determine if fertility treatment is right for you.

To schedule a consultation with one of our Reproductive Specialists, call us at 866-HRC-4IVF or click the button below: