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There are several reasons why people choose to delay having children.
For me, I waited until my career was stable, I had a lovely home and a few extra coins in the bank – then I thought about fertility treatment.
One day, COVID-19 showed up and took two years away from my fertility plans -I’m sure a lot of you IVFers can identify with this too…
Before I knew it, I was turning 40! So, the obvious question is, what are the IVF success rates when you’re over 40?
I am worried about the chances of IVF success rates at 40 and over, are you feeling this way too?
Worry less, as I will answer your queries about the success rates of IVF in your forties.
The success rates of IVF decrease with age; however, many women in their early and mid-40s can still become pregnant with their own eggs, provided they receive the right fertility treatment.
Although the number of women in their late 40s that achieve IVF success is less, there is still a chance of success.
The success rate of IVF for women over 40 is roughly 7%, with women under 42 having a greater success rate than women over 42.
Women over 40 may choose to use donor eggs in several circumstances.
When using donor eggs, the age component of pregnancy success is eliminated, placing the fertility power of the IVF process on the mid-20s egg donor.
Here Are Some Success Rates Based In The UK in 2019.
The HFEA’s IVF Success Rates from 2019 is the latest report from 2021. This shows a significant drop in IVF treatment outcomes when a patient is over 40. – Especially when opting to use the woman’s own eggs
Naturally, most IVFers opt in the first instance, to use their own eggs where this is an option. My experience was similar to many IVFers, my fertility clinic’s advice was to try an IVF cycle using my own eggs – despite my advance (ish) age.
This resulted in a BFN – now we know hindsight is a wonderful thing! And certainly, I don’t blame the clinic for the outcome of the cycle.
But, my argument is…
…if the data and the decline in a woman’s fertility beyond 35 years old are SO well known – why are we not opting to use donor eggs in the first instance?
This would save:
⏰ – Time going through a stimulated IVF cycle.
🤑 – Money when the medication is purchased (up to £1600 in the UK) and the cost of the IVF treatment which starts from around £2800 in the UK.
💔 – Heartbreak and discomfort can often go hand in hand with an IVF cycle.
📝 – Having to navigate the administrational red tape of the clinic (which can sometimes lead to a cancelled cycle – therefore causing further upset/ heartbreak and expense).
🤯 – Shock of knowing the waiting list time if you need to use donor eggs (this could be up to 4 years in the UK).
And if you’re like me and would prefer or need to use donor eggs from an ethnic background, the wait time can be even longer.
Furthermore, if there are no egg donors available, you could see yourself having your fertility treatment abroad. 🤷🏽♀️
When referring patients for IVF treatment, doctors can help patients by informing them on age-specific live birth rates within the clinic. It could also be worth reminding patients of the potential advantages of using donor eggs when they are in their 40s.
This will help patients to make well-informed decisions and have reasonable expectations if they decide to proceed.
Of course, positive thinking is so important when deciding and going through IVF treatment. However, we also need to consider evidence-based information about what is feasible with IVF.
It’s important to discuss with your fertility clinic what is likely to give you IVF success:
your own eggs or donor eggs??
Don’t get me wrong this is a HUGE question and not a question to take lightly. There can be a sense of loss, grief and trauma when using donor eggs is the only option for parenthood.
- Has the decision to use donor eggs been discussed with the fertility counsellor and am I/ we clear on the emotional aspects of not using our/ your own eggs?
- Are we/I thinking about this decision at length and understanding that there is no rush in coming to this decision?
- Has the fertility clinic explained the process of using donor eggs including fresh eggs vs frozen, all the costs associated with treatment and if there is a waiting list and an appropriate egg donor available?
Weighing up the options and taking your time to come to a decision is key when deciding to use donor eggs or in deed your own eggs.
Be clear on your options!
Has anyone used the IVF Success Rate Calculator? 🧮
Hmmm… Many times, I have. Purely for the purposes of curiosity. 🤔
On a separate note, it’s not 100% accurate, not medical or clinical advice and should not be used to inform your decision whether to have or not have IVF treatment.
An IVF Success Calculator uses the key elements known to be connected to IVF treatment success. This calculator allows us to calculate the likelihood of conceiving a live birth through IVF.
The calculator will ask for personal information, so in my case, the calculator worked like this:
- Age: 40
- Height: 5’11
- Weight: 🤫 … (not too heavyish)
- How many cycles have you had?: 2
- Have you had any pregnancies: No
- Why are you using IVF: (it will give a range of reasons from endometriosis, to ovarian reserved issues and other or no reason: I selected Other as my situation was not listed.
- Finally, it will ask if donor eggs or own eggs are being used: Donor Eggs, for me!
My results were:
55% chance of success using frozen or fresh donor eggs after 1st embryo transfer.
76% with a second embryo transfer within 12 months of the 1st transfer.
85% with a third embryo transfer within 12 months of the 1st transfer.
This is very interesting, I would say it’s an AI opinion based on vague information that certainly CANNOT inform a medical decision. I would certainly be looking for a more personalised success rate by speaking to my fertility clinic.
If you too are curious why not try an online IVF success rate calculator, below are some I found:
🧮– IVF success estimator by CDC.
🧮 – SART IVF calculator.
The data is derived from the experiences of women and couples with comparable traits.
The predictions are based on current available data and might not accurately reflect your unique experience.
Furthermore, this IVF success calculator does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or care.
Please discuss the specifics of your treatment and factors affecting your fertility with your medical practitioner.
Other Posts You Might Like:
⭐We Need To Have A Conversation About: HOW TO BOOST FERTILITY IN YOUR 40s – Let’s Do It In 8 Steps
⭐ IVF and Ethnicity – Can Our Race Really Impact How Successful IVF Treatment Is?
⭐ Pineapple And IVF – Significant and! If We’re Not Eating Them, We’re Wearing Them. What’s The Deal With Our Spikey Friend?