Beyond the Biological Clock: IVF for Women Over 40

This article is authored byDr Madhu Juneja, Director - OBGY and IVF, Sahyadri Hospitals MomStory, Hadapsar Annexe, Pune

IVF Options for Women Over 40: Hope Beyond the Biological Clock

1. Ovarian Reserve:

Ovarian reserve is described as the quality and quantity of eggs in the ovaries of a women. Increasing age in women copes with a decrease in the number of eggs as well as a reduction in the quality of the existing eggs. This directly impacts a woman’s natural conception. At the age of 40, getting pregnant becomes even more difficulty due to greatly reduced number and quality of eggs.

2. Chromosomal Abnormalities :

Older women face a greater risk of having issues with chromosomes in eggs, making the chances of Down/edwards syndrome and miscarriages more apparent as the woman further ages. Pregnancy also becomes more complicated after women reach the age of 40 due to the older age, eggs having a greater tendency towards inaccuracies in chromosome count.

Although these biological challenges are real, modern IVF techniques have provided ways to overcome them and offer hope to women who still wish to become mothers.
Advancements in IVF for Women over 40 - Field of IVF has seen many improvements over the years, making it a viable option for women over 40 to have children. Here are some key advancements.

Fertility Treatment Advances: Eggs

1. Egg Donation:

The use of donor eggs is one of the great step towards for women over 40. This implies that physicians can use eggs from a younger donor, usually one under 30,in place of a woman's own eggs. The likelihood that these eggs will fertilise and grow into a healthy embryo is significantly higher. The donar is matched as per done given criteria under ART law .Compared to using a woman's own eggs after the age of 40, IVF with egg donation has a significantly higher success rate.

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2. Genetic Testing of Embryos:

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) allows doctors to check embryos for chromosomal abnormalities before they are implanted in the uterus. This technique helps to select the healthiest embryos, reducing the chances of miscarriage and increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy.This is precisely utilised to avoid rejection of unhealthy embryos by body by pre determining the better one.

3. Improved IVF Protocols :

IVF protocols (the treatment plan for IVF) have become more advanced, tailored to the needs of older women. New protocols can help stimulate the ovaries to produce more eggs, even when a woman has a lower ovarian reserve. The development of better purifier hormones and better culture media for embryos also helps them grow and develop better, increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy.

4. Frozen Embryo Transfer :

In many IVF cases, embryos are frozen and transferred later. This is known as a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). Freezing embryos allows doctors to ensure the best conditions for embryo implantation, as the uterine lining can be carefully prepared for the transfer. FETs also allow for multiple attempts with the same set of embryos, without needing to undergo another round of stimulation.Psychological Aspect of IVF for Women over 40 because of the stress of getting pregnant, IVF can be emotionally taxing for women over 40. Due to the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and frustration, emotional support is crucial. Counselling, a solid support network, and stress-reduction methods like yoga and mindfulness can all be beneficial. Since success rates differ and getting pregnant may require several cycles(pooling of embryos )or donor eggs, it's important to have reasonable expectations.

How Lifestyle Factors Affect IVF Success, Lifestyle habits, especially for women over 40, can greatly influence IVF success. While age plays a role, stress management, proper exercise, and a well-balanced diet can make a positive difference. Egg quality can be aided by a diet such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, adding antioxidants while exercising regularly and moderately can be beneficial for overall health without being too strenuous. To create the ideal environment for IVF success, it is crucial to stay away from dangerous substances like alcohol and tobacco and to manage stress using yoga or therapy.
Success Rates of IVF for Women over 40 - The chances of IVF success vary depending on a woman's age and whether she is using her own eggs or donor eggs.

Here’s a general breakdown of success rates:

• Women aged 40-42: The IVF success rate using their own eggs is typically around 15-20%. The chances improve with egg donation.
• Women aged 43-44: The success rate drops to around 5-10%, and egg donation is often recommended for better chances.
• Women aged 45 and above: The success rate for IVF with their own eggs is less than 5%. However, using donor eggs improves the chances to around 30-40%.
Technological advancements in IVF have been a huge boost to women over 40. These improvements in IVF such as advanced protocols, genetic screening, and egg donation, enable older women who once feared infertility to become pregnant. IVF not only involves advanced medicine; it is a multi-faceted procedure. To boost the likelihood of achieving a favourable outcome, IVF requires controlling expectations, robust emotional and lifestyle support, as well as a healthy nourishing lifestyle.

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