Advanced Maternal Age and Assisted Reproductive Technologies in an Irish Population.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Obstetrics & Gynecology

Background:

• Increasing maternal age is a global trend for first and subsequent pregnancies.
• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is frequently sought by women over 40.
• ART success rates, like natural conception, diminish with advancing maternal age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze ART outcomes in women aged 40-45 over 16 years.
• To determine the impact of maternal age on key ART metrics.
• To identify age-related differences in reproductive potential within this cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data from a tertiary referral ART clinic.
• Inclusion criteria: women aged 40-45 undergoing ART.
• Analysis of follicle recruitment, oocyte yield, embryo quality, pregnancy rates, and pregnancy loss.

Main Results:

• Women aged 43-45 demonstrated significantly reduced reproductive potential compared to women aged 40-42.
• Fertilization rates: 53.73% (43-45) vs. 58.82% (40-42).
• Positive hCG rates: 11.51% (43-45) vs. 19.03% (40-42).
• Clinical pregnancy rates: 5.04% (43-45) vs. 12.52% (40-42).
• Preclinical pregnancy loss: 56.23% (43-45) vs. 34.23% (40-42).

Conclusions:

• Reproductive potential is significantly diminished in women over 43 undergoing ART.
• The increasing trend of later-life pregnancies necessitates the development of novel ART strategies.
• Further research into age-specific ART interventions is crucial.