New York City Fertility Center Reports 2 Oldest IVF Pregnancies Ever Reported in Medical Literature with Use of Patients' Own Eggs

An almost-48-year-old woman delivered a healthy baby after an IVF pregnancy with her own eggs at the Center for Human Reproduction.

NEW YORK, NY, June 21, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In an article just published in the medical journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online investigators from New York City's Center for Human Reproduction (CHR) reported the establishment of pregnancies through in vitro fertilization (IVF) with use of the patients' own eggs in the two oldest women ever reported in the medical literature, both only weeks away from age 48 at time of embryo transfer. One of the women delivered a healthy baby, while the other, unfortunately, miscarried. Both of these pregnancies were part of a larger series of pregnancies established at the center over a 3-year period in women above age 43 that were reported in this article. At most IVF centers, women above age 43 currently are only offered IVF treatments with third-party anonymous donor eggs.

"Though pregnancy chances are obviously low and miscarriage rates high at these ages," notes Norbert Gleicher, MD, a senior author of the study, "progress made in recent years with specialized treatments for older women, which in many aspects differ from standard IVF treatments in younger women, is truly remarkable." He further notes, "not every woman at these ages is a good candidate, but we now have the knowledge to select patients with, actually, surprisingly good chances of still conceiving with use of their own eggs at even those very advanced ages."

As a reflection of fertility populations in the U.S. aging and IVF centers usually not offering IVF with own eggs after age 42-43, the utilization of donor eggs has been growing more rapidly in recent year than standard IVF with patients' own eggs. Many women, however, for cultural, religious or other reasons are not willing or able to consider this option. This study offers at least some of these women a new option and, therefore, further hope.

"I have been practicing IVF since 1981 and, therefore, still remember when we did not accept women above age 38 into treatments because we could not help them conceive," concludes Dr. Gleicher. "It has been slow progress, but it is very rewarding that in the year in which we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first IVF birth, we now practically have reached age 48."

CHR is a New York City-based clinical and research center in reproductive medicine, well recognized as a center "of last resort." It serves a worldwide clientele of infertility patients who usually have failed repeated treatments elsewhere. As a research center, CHR has greatly contributed to infertility practice, and is especially well known for its expertise in treating older ovaries. Norbert Gleicher, MD, CHR's Medical Director and Chief Scientist is available for further comments.

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