Women under 38 in our IVF program have acceptable live birth rates even with only 3 – 6 eggs, do better with more than 6 eggs, and do best with more than 10 eggs. Women 38-40 and 41-42 years old have low live birth rates with low egg numbers. Success rates are much better when relatively high egg numbers are obtained.
IVF Success Rates by Age
For women younger than 35, the percentage of live births per egg retrieval is 54.5%. For women ages 35 to 37, the percentage of live births per egg retrieval is 41.1%. For women ages 38 to 40, the percentage of live births per egg retrieval is 26.7%.
According to statistics collected by the Center for Disease Control, the percentage of live births from IVF procedures using the mother's eggs decreases with age. The live birth rates, after IVF treatment, are: 41.5% for women younger than 35. 31.9% for women age 35 to 37.
So as you can see, there is still a good chance of getting pregnant if you're over 35 – it's just the older you get the longer it can take. It's still a good idea to talk to your doctor if you're over 35 and have been trying for 6 months. If you're over 40 it's advisable to talk to your doctor straight away.
There's more to consider about pregnancy past your mid-30s. Older women are more likely to miscarry or have a stillbirth. They have a greater chance of developing gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and of delivering a baby who is very small.
Diet and lifestyle can affect fertility. 9 Eating healthier, embracing healthy lifestyle habits, and maintaining a healthy weight can help you conceive faster and may even boost your odds for fertility treatment success if you do need treatment. Don't forget about mind-body therapies as well.
At age 40 and above women have reduced fertility potential as compared to that seen in younger women. They also have substantially lower success rates with fertility treatments including in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Most fertility clinics set an age limit, often between 42 and 45 years old, for a woman to use her own eggs. However, the ASRM committee opinion concludes that "limited treatment may be provided after a process of explicit education and examination of values."
Supplements containing Myo-inositol, folic acid and melatonin have been shown to help improve egg quality and ovarian function.
The national average for women younger than 35 able to become pregnant by in-vitro fertilization (IVF) on the first try (meaning, the first egg retrieval) is 55%. However, that number drops steadily as the woman ages.
The short answer is there isn't a standard maximum IVF age limit. Although rare, women over 50 have had successful pregnancies with IVF.
Studies show that women in their 20s and 30s have the most success when getting pregnant through IVF and other reproductive technologies. According to the CDC, the average percentages of assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles that lead to a live birth are: 31% in women younger than 35 years of age.
While there are couples who come in, are diagnosed, and get pregnant via IVF in the first round – they are an anomaly. Most couples have to undergo that previously mentioned three IVF rounds or more.
IVF and IUI Treatment through our Bulk Billed Program is therefore only available to women who are 45 years of age or younger (at the time of egg collection). However, if you are over 45, you may be suitable for IVF treatment through our Full-Service Fertility Program (you can see costs here).
The first IVF cycle will often be successful at a high quality program. Unfortunately, many couples will not have successful first cycle IVF results and will need to consider a second cycle.
Studies examining the likelihood of pregnancy after multiple IVF attempts show varied results, with some suggesting that three rounds is the optimal number, given the emotional and financial strain that IVF can cause. Financial limitations aside, it actually may be worth continuing beyond three cycles.
The study found that pregnancy rates decreased progressively with increasing age of the recipient female patient 6. The cumulative pregnancy rate observed up to 12 insemination cycles was 74% for women younger than 31 years and decreased to 62% for women aged 31–35 years and to 54% for women older than 35 years 6.
Irregular period cycle and difficulty conceiving
If you are facing issues conceiving and have not been able to conceive for a while now, it could be one of the signs of bad egg quality.
These guidelines recommend that IVF should be offered to women under the age of 43 who have been trying to get pregnant through regular unprotected sex for 2 years.
How Age and IVF Success Rates Are Related. In general, by the time a woman reaches the age of 35, her peak years of fertility are behind her. Of course, this is not a hard-and-fast rule. Some women remain perfectly fertile at the age of 35 while others, unfortunately, reach their peak well before that age.
Chances of Getting Pregnant IVF – Success Rates by Age
IVF success rates by age are as follows, based on data from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART): 54% chance per cycle for those under the age of 35. 40% chance per cycle for those aged 35-37.
What Is Geriatric Pregnancy? Geriatric pregnancy is a rarely used term for having a baby when you're 35 or older. Rest assured, most healthy women who get pregnant after age 35 and even into their 40s have healthy babies.
What's the average time it takes to get pregnant by age? If you take women under 37 years old with no known fertility problems who got pregnant, about 45 percent of them will have conceived within three months, 60 to 65 percent within six months, 85 percent within a year and 93 percent within 18 months.
For example, a woman at 30 often has around 100,000-150,000 eggs in reserve. By 35, that number is likely around 80,000. Late into the thirties, that number could be 25,000, 10,000, or fewer.