July 11, 2007
What's the explanation for women in their late 40's and early 50's being able to have kids through IVF? while some women in their early 30's have a hard time?
These are great questions...fertilized eggs (called embryos) have excellent survival and pregnancy rates and every IVF center uses these routinely. The problem with this (if you want to call this a "problem" :) is that you need a male partner to provide sperm...
Some centers are now freezing unfertilized eggs with improving success rates and these should be performed under experimental protocols since this is still in it's infancy. The term "don't put all your eggs in one basket" readily applies here since egg freezing doesn't provide 100% guarantee of future maternity, but let me tell you, it's better than nothing.
Freezing your eggs in your early 30s will provide you with the best probability of a pregnancy than if you freeze in your mid to late 30s. So by this definition, if you can't get pregnant in your late 30s or 40s with your own eggs, then your frozen eggs can be a better back-up that will hopefully work. As we get better with our freezing technology, we are hopeful that egg freezing will eventually be a safe realible, and efficient technique to offer all women who wish to preserve their fertility
Some centers are now freezing unfertilized eggs with improving success rates and these should be performed under experimental protocols since this is still in it's infancy. The term "don't put all your eggs in one basket" readily applies here since egg freezing doesn't provide 100% guarantee of future maternity, but let me tell you, it's better than nothing.
Freezing your eggs in your early 30s will provide you with the best probability of a pregnancy than if you freeze in your mid to late 30s. So by this definition, if you can't get pregnant in your late 30s or 40s with your own eggs, then your frozen eggs can be a better back-up that will hopefully work. As we get better with our freezing technology, we are hopeful that egg freezing will eventually be a safe realible, and efficient technique to offer all women who wish to preserve their fertility
A positive result in August sounds very promising- it sounds like you could get it! Have you tried fertility drugs like clomid, or follistim? Maybe they could enhance your chances! Also, have you had your uterine lining thickness checked? I had good luck with improving my lining thickness with acupuncture.
July 11, 2007
The most notorious age is around 37, the more bleak age is 43. It is unbelievable even for me as a doc, how quickly I see pregnancy rates drop of after these age, practically on a year by year basis according to age. IVF using one's own eggs becomes difficult and all REs pull out all the stops, especially in women in their early 40s who have lost a lot of fertility potential; pregnancy rates are substantially diminished. Although we along with other REs do have live births in women who are 43 or 44, these are the exceptions...most births that occur to women in this age bracket already are through IVF with egg donation.
That is correct, and something many do not want to admit to society about fertility after their early forties...hence you see these movie stars, singers, friends who state they used their own eggs...when in reality, they most likely all used eggs from a donor who was younger. This gives many the false impression that one's own fertility can be easily extended into the perimenoupause or early menopausal years.
Women in their early 30's should have a reasonable chance of attaining a pregnancy, assuming they have a normal FSH and antral follicle counts. Sometimes though, endometriosis and/or other unexplained factors can diminish the fertility potential in a few in this age group. We REs have all had a patient in this age group fail one or two IVF cycles, yet the prognosis remains good. Further evaluation from both the male and female should be considered by your RE if this is the case to maximize the chance of someone in this age group to come out with a successful pregnancy.