What is the Right Age for IVF Treatment?

One of the most common questions we hear at Bloom IVF is, ‘When is the right time to start IVF?” While it is true that health and lifestyle factors can play a huge role in IVF success, age remains the single most important factor. So, what is the right age for IVF treatment? Let’s find out.

What is IVF?

IVF or in vitro fertilization, is an assisted reproductive technique that helps men and women struggling with infertility have a child of their own.

In the IVF procedure, the eggs and sperm are collected from both partners or one partner and a donor. They are then combined in a lab, and fertilization takes place. Once the resulting embryos are mature enough, an IVF specialist chooses the best one and transfers it to the womb of the partner or surrogate.

Does Age Matter in IVF Treatment?

Many young couples have to undergo IVF since they cannot have children naturally. So, clearly IVF doesn’t just help older people. It also offers a solution for those who are unable to conceive due to infertility issues.

However, the fact that more older couples undergo IVF than younger ones suggests a connection between age and infertility.  The success rates of IVF also get lower as age increases. To understand why this happens, let’s look at how age impacts male and female infertility.

The Impact of Age on Female Fertility

A woman is born with a finite number of eggs. When she ovulates, her body releases a certain number of eggs each month. Thus, a woman continues losing some eggs as she ages.

Women are most fertile in their late 20s and early 30s, when both egg quality and quantity are at their peak, and there is very minimal risk of pregnancy complications. Fertility declines after 30 and drops sharply at 35. Most women experience menopause at 40–45 and become infertile a few years before they do.

Older women also have a higher risk of pregnancy complications like miscarriage, low birth weight, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and hypertension. As egg quality declines with age, not only does it become harder to conceive, but the risk of genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, increases.

The Impact of Age on Male Fertility

Most women know that their fertility declines with age and have a general understanding of their biological clock. On the other hand, most males are not as aware of their biological clock or the fact that they even have one.

Yes, it is true that, unlike women, men can continue to produce sperm even as they get older. However, the quality and quantity of the sperm do decline with age. Male fertility peaks in the early to late 20s. The quality of sperm starts to decline at the age of 30, and it significantly diminishes by 40.

Simply put, couples with older male partners may take longer to conceive due to reduced sperm quality and quantity. Their sperm contains highly fragmented DNA, which increases the risks to their children, including miscarriage, fetal death, disabilities such as autism, and mental illnesses like schizophrenia.

Connection Between Older Age and IVF

Older women face more challenges with IVF. Their egg quality may have significantly diminished, or they might not have enough eggs left for ovarian stimulation to be effective. Your fertility specialist may recommend using donor eggs from a younger woman to increase your odds of success.

Your 20s and 30s are the right age for an IVF procedure. After 40, the success rates of IVF treatment significantly decrease.  IVF clinics can also choose to set age limits for their patients. They may do this to steer clear of medical risks and ethical issues.

At Bloom IVF, we offer IVF treatment for older women and provide treatments like egg donation and PRP treatment that can increase their success rates. Speak to our fertility specialists today to discover if IVF is right for you.

What is the Right Age for IVF Treatment?

There is no ‘right’ age for IVF. The best time for IVF is immediately after a fertility specialist or doctor recommends it. Every year you wait decreases your chances of success.

Statistically, the ‘ideal’ or right age for IVF treatment is late 20s to early 30s for both men and women. While you may have certain infertility issues that necessitate IVF, the remaining factors like gamete quality, physical health, and so on, may still be favorable for a healthy pregnancy.

Additional Factors Affecting Fertility

Age certainly influences IVF treatment, but other factors like lifestyle, diet, health, and fertility history also impact the IVF success rate.

Lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle can lower fertility in men. Stress, smoking, and drinking alcohol can adversely impact fertility in both men and women.

Diet

Eating non-nutritious junk food can lower your fertility. Older men and women may also have certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which can affect fertility.

Health

People suffering from health problems like diabetes or obesity do not respond well to IVF protocols.

Fertility History

If you have a history of miscarriages or failed IVF cycles, you may face lower success rates with IVF.

Tips To Increase Fertility

There are some steps you can take to increase fertility even when you’re older. For example, making deliberate lifestyle changes can help increase your chances of IVF success. Giving up drinking alcohol and smoking can improve your overall health and also boost the quality of eggs/sperm.

Eating a healthy and balanced diet can help, and regular physical exercise can boost your fertility too. Stress, too, can lower your success rates of IVF. For high IVF success, try practicing stress-relief techniques and exercises.

The Right Age For IVF Treatment at Bloom IVF

If you have been diagnosed with infertility issues, don’t wait.  Although age affects IVF success, many men and women in their late 30s and 40s have managed to have children through IVF.

Bloom IVF has helped many couples conceive by providing them with advanced treatments and the right support. Book a consultation to learn more about how IVF can help you conceive.

Frequently Asked Questions