Woman’s age, fertility and infertility treatments

When hoping for pregnancy as the age of 40 approaches or after it, it is important to assess the situation in good time. Before starting treatments, we ensure that the health status and any primary diseases are well controlled with regard to pregnancy. At the same time, we assess ovarian function and other factors affecting getting pregnant.

With age, fertility declines, which is why it is important to use time expediently when planning treatments. If necessary, we can proceed to IVF treatment quickly if it offers the best chances of achieving pregnancy in the situation.

If the chances of treatment success using own oocytes have significantly decreased, donated oocytes can in some situations be considered as a treatment option. The treatment path is always planned individually, and the various options are discussed with a physician.

A woman’s fertility gradually begins to decline with age. The change is primarily related to a decrease in the number and quality of eggs. In terms of fertility, a significant change occurs especially at a later reproductive age, when the chance of becoming pregnant decreases and the risk of miscarriage increases.

A woman is born with all the eggs she will have in her lifetime. The number of eggs naturally decreases throughout life, and the body cannot produce new eggs to replace them. With age, the quality of the remaining eggs also deteriorates.

The decline in egg quality increases the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos. Chromosomal abnormalities are a major cause of miscarriage, which is why the risk of miscarriage increases with age.

The decline in fertility is individual, and a certain age does not mean that a pregnancy could not begin naturally or with the help of treatments. As age increases, however, anyone wishing to get pregnant should seek examinations and an assessment of treatment more promptly.

Nowadays, having children is often postponed to a later age than would be optimal in terms of biological fertility. There are many individual and social factors behind this. At the same time, however, a woman’s fertility declines with age, which can later make getting pregnant more difficult and increase the need for infertility treatments.

When pregnancy is desired as the age of 40 approaches or after that, it is advisable to seek examinations readily, and starting treatments is generally not something that needs to be delayed. It is good to have a fertility assessment performed and the partner's semen examined already in the early stages of the treatment path. If factors affecting fertility are found, treating them or starting a suitable fertility treatment as quickly as possible can improve the chances of achieving pregnancy.

The form of treatment is always chosen individually. As age advances, the role of IVF treatment as a treatment option becomes more prominent, but the suitable form of treatment depends on, among other things, ovarian function, the quality of semen, previous treatments, and other factors affecting getting pregnant.

With age, the probability of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos increases, which is one of the main reasons for an increased risk of miscarriage. An embryo with chromosomal abnormalities may also not necessarily implant in the uterus, meaning pregnancy will not begin. In connection with in vitro fertilisation, the chromosomes of the embryos can be examined before embryo transfer. This examination is called PGT-A (preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy).

With the help of PGT-A, it is possible to identify embryos whose chromosome set is normal based on the examination and transfer an embryo confirmed to be chromosomally normal into the uterus. This way, transfers of embryos with chromosomal abnormalities can be avoided, and in some situations, the time spent on failed transfers and miscarriages can be reduced. The benefit of PGT-A is especially emphasised in situations where maternal age increases the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos.

However, PGT-A does not guarantee the start of a pregnancy or the birth of a child, and the examination is not performed for everyone undergoing IVF treatment. Its benefit and suitability are assessed individually together with a physician.

If pregnancy is desired when approaching the age of 40 or thereafter, you should book an appointment with an infertility specialist with a low threshold. During the appointment, fertility can be assessed, potential factors making it difficult to get pregnant can be identified, and a treatment path suitable for the situation can be planned.

Especially at this stage of life, it is important that starting potential examinations and treatments is not unnecessarily delayed. With a timely assessment performed, the available time can be utilised as effectively as possible and a form of treatment offering the best chances for the start of pregnancy can be chosen.

You can easily book an appointment for a First appointment with an infertility specialist without a referral.