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Pregnancy after age 40

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Can I have a baby after 40

As a reproductive endocrinologist who specializes in fertility, I have the opportunity to answer a lot of questions from many individuals and couples trying to get pregnant, but one that always comes up is, “Can I have a baby after age 40?” 40 seems to be a milestone year – perhaps because it is a nice round number – but does it really have any significance when it comes to the ability to get pregnant and carry a baby to term?

The short answer is that fertility decreases over time, but after age 40 the likelihood of pregnancy dramatically decreases every year. 40-year-old women who are treated with in vitro fertilization for infertility have a 20-25% chance of getting pregnant with one cycle, but by age 43 only 5 to 10% were able to conceive, and only a year later the rate was only half of that. . In addition, more than half of all 44-year-old women who managed to get pregnant had miscarriages. Those aren’t exactly encouraging numbers, but for women aged 40 and 41 there is still a good chance of having a baby. So 40 isn’t a magic number, but at age 42 most women should begin to be thinking about other options..

So what are these other choices? One of the most common is the use of donor eggs, which are usually provided by younger women whose eggs tend to be more viable. Another choice is adoption, which is often a good option for women who are unable to sustain a pregnancy. Gestational carriers or surrogates are a possible option for women who have serious uterine problems or other medical conditions that might make pregnancy risky.

There is no one right answer for women over the age of 40, but the good news is there are options that have good track records that are available to anyone looking to have a child, regardless of age.

By Dr. David Adamson, CEO of Advanced Reproductive Care

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