How Age Influences IVF Outcomes

Infertility can occur at any age but can increase as people get older. In the United States, statistics show that about 13.4% of child-bearing-age women have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. When an infertility diagnosis is given, assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments are recommended to help women and couples conceive. Of the options, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has the highest success rate. As a result, many people wonder exactly how age influences IVF and a woman’s chances of success.

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1. Age and success rates are linked

Without a doubt, experts can draw a direct link between a person's age and potential success rates. Assuming that no other underlying conditions are present that could influence outcomes, women 35 and younger historically have more live births compared to older women. Specifically, research gathered from fertility clinics has consistently proven that live singleton births have a 47.5% success rate in women ages 35 and younger. This statistic directly refers to cohorts that did not use donor eggs. Meanwhile, that rate drops by over 12% when looking at people ages 35-37, by over 50% in ages 38-40, and down to just 11.6% success in women over 40.

2. More embryos may be needed

Sensationalized stories of multiple births caused fertility clinics to be more prudent with embryo transfers. For most women ages 35 and under, only a single embryo is transferred. Doing so helps to reduce the risk of multiple births, which can create health complications for the mother and the babies. However, the later in life a woman undergoes IVF, the higher the chances that multiple embryos will need to be transferred. On average, people 42 and over will have 2.2 embryos transferred compared to 1.3 for women 35 and younger.

3. Egg quality declines with age

IVF can be performed with a woman's own eggs or by using donor eggs. However, with age, egg quality declines. Because women are born with all the possible eggs available, the quality and quantity can drop each year. Not only does this reality impact the ability of an egg to be fertilized, but whether or not the resulting embryo will survive the transfer and successfully implant in the uterus. As a result, older women may find that more IVF rounds or cycles are required to successfully conceive.

Be prepared for more IVF cycles

A study researching age, success rates, and total IVF cycles also underscores the above point. In women ages 35 and younger, research shows that first cycle success rates are around 29.5% for live births. By contrast, older women often had to undergo as many as 4 cycles to get pregnant, with each additional cycle boosting success rates to over 20%. Sometimes, even trying for as many as 6 cycles was effective for women under 40, with a 32.3% live birth rate. However, between ages 40-42, that percentage dropped to 12.3%. Keep in mind most fertility clinics won't exceed four cycles even though research suggests that doing so is beneficial for older participants.

Look beyond statistics

Statistics can paint a bleak picture for older women trying to build or grow a family. Yet countless women over 35 are achieving parental dreams with IVF. If fertility concerns are delaying family planning goals, consider speaking with a fertility specialist.