Reproductive Health Month
PREGNANCY AND ART IN COUPLES OVER 40
Can I get pregnant at 40 naturally?
Yes, it’s possible to get pregnant naturally if you’re 40
The upper age limit for using your own eggs in IVF is usually 45
It is accepted that the female age of 45 is somewhat arbitrary
What is advanced maternal age?
Advanced maternal age is a medical term to describe women who are over age 35 during pregnancy
What is Advanced Paternal Age
There is no universally accepted term for advanced paternal age. The age that is commonly referred to is 40 and older.
ADVANCES IN ART AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Most women over 45 need donor eggs to conceive
The wider scope of ART options has given rise to increasing numbers of pregnancies in women over 45 who would not otherwise conceive
Freezing your eggs earlier in life is an option
Some women use eggs they decided to freeze earlier in life
Talk to your healthcare provider about fertility preservation and egg freezing in your 20’s and 30’s if you are delaying child bearing
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A BABY AFTER 40?
Studies show that Women Who Give Birth Later Live Longer – The Long Life Family Study, included families with members who had lived long lives (90years and older)
Further Research found that women who gave birth after age 40 were four times more likely to live to 100 than younger women
THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF FERTILITY AND STERILITY (IFFS) STANDARDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS :
Assessment Of The The Female Partner
- The older female partner should be carefully assessed for general medical problems prior to consideration of infertility treatment.
- This assessment should include blood pressure measurement, blood chemistry for renal function, assessment for diabetes and thyroid function.
- Women in their sixth decade planning pregnancy should undergo a thorough cardiovascular assessment including consideration of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.
- Women who do not normally participate in regular aerobic exercise should be recommended to begin an exercise regime in order to improve aerobic fitness before embarking on pregnancy as it is known that cardiac workload increases by 40% during pregnancy.
- Women in this age group should also be advised of the increased likelihood of complications in pregnancy which may be serious and rarely life threatening.
- In addition, they should be advised of the high likelihood of operative delivery and its associated risks.
- Older women are more likely to have gynaecological abnormalities such as fibroids and ovarian cysts.
This should be taken account of during assessment of the female partner.
Assessment Of The The Male Partner
The male partner should be advised and assessed in the normal way for fertility assessment.
- Advice should be given in respect of smoking, alcohol, general health and wellbeing.
- Couples in whom the male partner is over 50 years of age should be advised that there is a slightly increased risk of an abnormalities due to the age of the paternal genome.
- Genetic evaluation is advised but not mandatory
- Once pregnancy is achieved, patients should be counselled about the limitations of karyotype and prenatal microarray analysis to identify de novo genetic mutations associated with APA.
Some genetic conditions will have ultrasound findings that may be identified in the late first and early second trimesters.
@NEO FERTILITY we welcome couples both young and not so young! Your age should not be a barrier to experiencing the joy of parenthood.
Call us at 011 480 4014
WhatsApp us at 066 539 4532
