IVF Age Limit: Is there A Maximum Age for IVF?

Women are having children later than at any time in history. 1 Though this demographic shift has largely been driven by female empowerment, fertility naturally declines with age, making the need for In vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproduction techniques more important and popular than ever. 

As IVF technology advances alongside societal norms, a question arises: Is there an IVF age limit? This question touches on various medical and ethical considerations, which we’ll explore in this article.

Is there an Age Limit for IVF?

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the majority of fertility clinics set an upper age limit for women using their own eggs for in vitro fertilization (IVF) between 42 and 45 years old. 

Despite this common practice, there is no universally established maximum age limit, and certain clinics extend IVF services to patients well into their 50s. CNY does not withhold services based on age, and does not have an age limit. 

What are the reasons for an IVF age limit? 

There are various reasons for an IVF age limit. These include 

• Some believe It is unethical to provide IVF treatment if the provider does not believe it has a fair chance of succeeding.
• Extensive research has shown that advanced maternal age significantly increases the risk of various complications for both the mother and the child, including preterm delivery, preeclampsia, and even mortality.

In its guidelines published in Fertility and Sterility, the ASRM asserts: “Embryo transfer should be strongly discouraged or denied to any woman over age 50 with underlying issues that could increase or further obstetrical risks, and discouraged in women over age 55 without such issues.”

Reasons Against an IVF Age Limit

CNY believes that it is not ethical to deny women access to the reproductive healthcare that they need to start or grow their families.

Many women in the older reproductive age range are highly educated, ambitious, and accomplished women with a strong track record of overcoming odds and succeeding in many areas of their lives. 

Older women understand the lower chances of IVF success and should be allowed to determine if the potential challenges and rewards of getting pregnant are right for them. 

Most women in the older age range prefer to try a single cycle using their own eggs before moving on to donor eggs. Though the possibility of pregnancy is lower, there is significant psychological and emotional value in knowing that they tried with their own eggs using the most advanced reproductive technology. 

Benefits of Having Children Later in Life

Research published in the journal Menopause suggests that women who have children later in life may experience increased longevity.

Additionally, a study in Population and Development Review revealed that children benefit from their mothers delaying childbirth. Analyzing data from over 1.5 million individuals born between 1968 and 2013, the study found that children born to mothers over 30, and even those over 40, tend to have better long-term physical health and greater educational achievements.

Technological Advancements that Increase IVF Age Limits

There are two key technological advancements that can increase the IVF age limit on an individual patient basis. 

• Cryopreservation: Women who freeze their eggs at a younger age can use these eggs later in life, potentially extending the age at which they can have a biologically related child.
• Donor Eggs: The use of donor eggs from younger women can also allow older women to achieve successful pregnancies, as the quality of the donor eggs mitigates the age-related decline in fertility.

Fertility Clinics with no Age Limit

The list of clinics that explicitly do not limit treatment based on age is short: 

• CNY Fertility: Syracuse NY, Albany NY, Rochester NY, Buffalo NY, Atlanta GA, Colorado Springs CO, Philadelphia PA, Sarasota FL, Norfolk VA. 
• Rejuvenating Fertility: Manhattan NY, Westport CT, Jericho NY, Brooklyn NY, Riverhead NY. 

The Impacts of Age on IVF Success Rates

The success rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF) vary significantly with the age of the woman undergoing the procedure. The charts below display the live birth rates per embryo transfer, categorized by the recipient’s age.

The data for this graph is based on CDC’s 2021 Fertility Clinic Success Rates Report. It includes approximately 238,126 patients who underwent 413,776 assisted reproduction cycles performed at 453 reporting clinics in the United States during 2021.

This line graph shows the live birth rates per embryo transfer using either the woman’s own eggs or donor eggs, segmented by age range.

Key Insights:

• Live Birth Rate with Own Eggs: The IVF success rate declines significantly with age, starting from 41% for women under 35 to just 1% for women over 44.
• Live Birth Rate with Donor Eggs: While also declining, the success rate with donor eggs remains relatively higher across all age ranges, starting at 55% for women under 35 and decreasing to 39% for women over 44.

Research reveals a sharp decline in live birth rates as women age, particularly for those using their own eggs. That said, the use of donor eggs substantially mitigates the age-related decline in success rates, maintaining higher live birth rates even in older age groups. 

It’s also important to highlight that these are population-based statistics and that there is significant variability between individuals of a specific age. Individuals are not statistics, and the viability of fertility should be assessed based on a careful assessment of numerous fertility markers for each person. 

Key Insights

Impact of Age on Fertility: The data highlights the decline in fertility as women age, a trend observed both in IVF treatments and the general fertile population. However, many women in the older age range of fertility can have successful pregnancies with the right treatment. 

Risk of Embryonic Aneuploidy Increases with Age

Though risks for various pregnancy complications increase with age, the main reason that IVF success rates decline for older women is the increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities in her eggs, leading to a higher risk of embryos that have an abnormal number of chromosomes, either missing or extra.

In a 2024 study examining IVF outcomes using donor eggs versus a woman’s own chromosomally normal eggs, the success rates are remarkably similar :

Implantation Rates:

• Donor Eggs: About 58% of embryos successfully implanted.
• Own Eggs: Approximately 57% of embryos successfully implanted.

Live Birth Rates:

• Donor Eggs: Around 41% of transfers resulted in a live birth.
• Own Eggs: About 42% of transfers resulted in a live birth.

Ectopic Pregnancy Rates:

• Donor Eggs: Less than 1% of pregnancies were ectopic.
• Own Eggs: Also less than 1% of pregnancies were ectopic.

Miscarriage Rates:

• Donor Eggs: Approximately 16% of pregnancies ended in miscarriage.
• Own Eggs: Around 14% of pregnancies ended in miscarriage.
• Conclusion: The miscarriage rates are similar.

Gestational Age at Birth:

• Donor Eggs: Babies were born at about 38.5 weeks on average.
• Own Eggs: Babies were born at around 39.2 weeks on average.

Birthweight of Infants:

• Donor Eggs: The average birthweight was around 2982 grams (about 6.6 pounds).
• Own Eggs: The average birthweight was about 3128 grams (around 6.9 pounds).

The data indicate that patients with PGT-tested euploid blastocysts (chromosomally normal embryos) derived from either donor or their own eggs exhibit no statistically significant differences in many key outcomes.

This suggests that age-related declines in reproductive success and poor IVF outcomes in older women are primarily driven by the higher incidence of embryonic aneuploidy (chromosomal abnormalities) in their eggs. This can be overcome with the use of donor eggs, or eggs the use of eggs that a woman has frozen earlier in her life. 

IVF Age Limit: The Bottom Line 

As women increasingly choose to have children later in life, the demand for IVF has surged, raising questions about appropriate age limits for treatment. 

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) suggests that most clinics limit the age for women using their own eggs to 42-45 years, though some extend services into the 50s. This is due to the increased risks of miscarriage, complications, and genetic abnormalities with advanced maternal age.

However, CNY Fertility does not limit fertility care based on eggs. Our view is informed by clinical experience and mainstream research showing that technological advancements, such as egg freezing and donor eggs, help extend the viable age for IVF, improving success rates for older women. 

Additionally, studies indicate that children born to older mothers can enjoy better long-term health and educational success. So, while IVF age limits are guided by various factors, CNY Fertility supports the use of advancements in technology to continue to expand opportunities for older women to achieve motherhood.