In vitro fertilization in women under 35: counseling should differ by age

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Infertility Treatment
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), are widely used for infertility treatment.
• Patient age is a critical factor influencing IVF success rates.
• Limited data exists on comparative IVF outcomes across specific young adult age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the cumulative live birth rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF) across three distinct age groups of women: under 25 years, 25 to under 30 years, and 30 to under 35 years.
• To identify potential disparities in IVF treatment effectiveness based on age.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study analyzing data from women aged 18 to <35 undergoing their first fresh-embryo, non-donor IVF cycle.
• Data collected from January 1995 to December 2012 at a single fertility center.
• Competing-risk regression models used to estimate cumulative live birth probabilities over up to 6 IVF cycles.

Main Results:

• A total of 7,243 women and 16,792 IVF cycles were analyzed.
• Women under 25 years (<25) demonstrated the lowest cumulative live birth rate after 6 cycles (58%).
• Women aged 25 to <30 achieved the highest cumulative live birth rate (69%), while women aged 30 to <35 had an intermediate rate (64%).

Conclusions:

• In vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes are less favorable for women under 25 years of age compared to older age groups.
• Underlying factors in younger women (<25) may necessitate tailored treatment counseling for IVF.
• Age-specific counseling is crucial for managing expectations and optimizing treatment strategies in assisted reproduction.