Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Gynecology of Hawaii and the Fertility Institute of Hawaii do not discriminate based on age. You will be given a very realistic assessment of your treatment options (to include Ovulation Induction, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and Donor Egg IVF) and your potential for success. Most women with advanced age will need an aggressive infertility treatment regimen in order to have success.
Age plays an important role in a woman’s ability to become pregnant and carry a pregnancy to term. With advancing age, many biological changes take place that work against conceiving and carrying the pregnancy to term. From age 30 to 35, there is a gradual decline in the ability of women to become pregnant; after age 40, there is a sharp decline. Also, the chance of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities, such as those that cause Down’s Syndrome, increase with age. Even the success of in vitro fertilization and other similar procedures decreases with advancing age.
Why does age play such an important role in fertility? One reason is that as women age, they are less likely to ovulate regularly. In addition, they are more likely to have medical problems that can cause infertility, such as endometriosis. However, the more important reason relates to the condition and decreasing number of the woman’s eggs. As the eggs age, they become more resistant to fertilization and are more likely to result in embryos that can have chromosomal abnormalities resulting in not getting pregnant or a miscarriage.
Your evaluation is likely to begin with your medical history and a pelvic ultrasound. However, other tests are needed to determine whether your age is affecting your fertility. You may need one or more of the following tests:
Advanced Reproductive Medicine & Gynecology of Hawaii
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