Experts recommend women who plan to freeze their eggs to do it before they reach 35. Experts found that the ability of women to give birth notably decreases after the age of 38 thus, women are urged to start families earlier. Statistical data show that the chances of women aged 44 to give birth decline by 18 percent compared to when they were six years younger.
The new study conducted by the Hospital Universitairo Quiron- Dexeus in Barcelona included about 4,000 women aged 38-44, who underwent 5,841 cycles of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The researchers analyzed the data of the participants and found out that birth rates declined significantly as the women advance in age. Study subjects aged 38-39 have a birth rate of 24 percent while those under the bracket of 40-41 years have an average birth rate of 15 percent. Birth rates continue to decline as women aged 42-43 exhibited a birth rate of 6.6 percent and those aged 44 and above showed 1.3 birth rate percentage.
"There is a clinically relevant decline from 41/42 - but the prognosis is really futile from 44 and onwards," says Dr Marta Devesa, lead author of the study. "Women should be encouraged to have families earlier but if you can't change society then we should encourage them to freeze their eggs by 35."
Another significant finding of the study is that the success of first pregnancies is more influenced by the transfer of fresh embryos rather than frozen ones. Infusing frozen embryos when the first attempt to get pregnant failed does not necessarily mean that birth rates will shoot up. The benefits of frozen embryos are insufficient, specifically when women reach the age of 42 and above.
Many women, even the educated ones, are not fully aware of the details of their fertility levels, says Charles Kingsland, professor from Liverpool Women's Hospital. He adds that majority of women prioritize career, relationship, real estate and property goals before they think about having a family but he begs to disagree that they cannot do that; they do not realize how age can greatly affect fertility levels.
While many women look up to celebrities who give birth at an older age, still nobody knows how many celebrities with advanced ages have become unsuccessful in giving birth either naturally or through medical treatments said Adam Balen, professor and chairman of the British Fertility Society.
"There is always a strong possibility that many of these celebrities may well have sought the assistance of a fertility clinic and may have conceived wither with IVF or donor eggs."
Dr Stuart Lavery, consultant gynaecologist from Hammersmith Hospital hopes that the results of this study will provide more realistic insights to women with advanced age, who want to have a family.
Photo: Abd allah Foteih | Flickr
