How do age and fertility correlate in IVF success?

Age plays a crucial role in IVF success rates, primarily due to its impact on egg quality and quantity. Women under 35 typically experience the highest IVF success rates, with pregnancy rates around 50% per cycle. These rates gradually decline with age, dropping to approximately 20-25% for women in their late 30s and below 10% for women over 42.

Several key factors explain this age-related decline:

Egg Quality

As women age, their eggs accumulate more chromosomal abnormalities, reducing the likelihood of successful fertilization and healthy embryo development.

Ovarian Reserve

The number of available eggs naturally decreases with age, potentially limiting the number of eggs retrieved during IVF cycles.

Implantation Rates

Older women experience lower embryo implantation rates, even with healthy embryos.

Advanced reproductive technologies can help mitigate some age-related challenges:

• Preimplantation genetic testing identifies chromosomally normal embryos

• Egg freezing at a younger age preserves fertility options

• Donor eggs may provide an alternative for women with diminished ovarian reserve

Medical professionals typically recommend women considering IVF start treatment before age 35 when possible, as this offers the highest probability of success. However, individual factors beyond age, such as overall health and specific fertility issues, also significantly influence IVF outcomes.