Is Your Age Affecting Your Eggs?

For women or individuals navigating infertility, there is now a range of treatments available, but there are limitations. For instance, age is an important factor that influences female fertility. The success of procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF) can be influenced by aging. The world has shifted to where more women are seeking pregnancy from age 35. The science, however, shows that success rates decline significantly each year. There is a close relationship between a woman’s egg quality and age, which must be considered during IVF treatment. Fertility clinics know that egg quality can make or break everything from embryo development to implantation and pregnancy. With this in mind, patients will learn about this relationship and understand why the options available are used to navigate egg quality challenges.

Ovaries and eggs age, too

Unlike men, who continuously produce new sperm throughout life, women are born with all possible follicles within the ovaries. Before birth, the ovaries contain millions of immature eggs, but this number steadily declines over the years. By puberty, only a fraction of the original supply remains. With each menstrual cycle, the ovarian reserve continues to decrease. The remaining eggs in the ovarian reserve also drop in quality. Even a successful fertilization and pregnancy can lead to abnormalities or an unsuccessful outcome. As a result, women who choose to get pregnant at later ages may struggle to conceive naturally. Some women can experience issues with egg quality even earlier. Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is the biggest reason for this issue, with the ovaries ceasing function before age 40.

The egg quality dilemma

At any age, egg quality determines the future of a woman’s pregnancy. In short, excellent egg quality means that, when combined with sperm, the egg fertilizes easily and can develop into a healthy embryo. Under a microscope, a high-quality egg contains the correct number of chromosomes necessary for embryo development. The better the quality, the more likely eggs will fertilize and eventually lead to successful pregnancy. Poor-quality eggs are also likely to exhibit chromosomal abnormalities during cell division. There is a higher risk of miscarriages and birth abnormalities. Egg quality eventually guides the IVF process. The more high-quality eggs the fertility team can harvest, the higher the chances of a successful cycle.

Egg aging and IVF

Fertility clinics must navigate the close relationship between aging, quality, and outcomes to meet patients' needs. Remember, IVF helps with fertility, but healthy eggs are necessary to be successful. Providing the patient with ovarian stimulating medication allows for the production of multiple eggs. This step increases the likelihood of obtaining multiple healthy eggs for future IVF cycles. With every new year, however, the chances of acquiring healthy eggs decrease further. Women at an advanced reproductive age should not panic, as many are able to achieve successful IVF pregnancies. The approach just needs to change. This may mean more IVF cycles, custom medication protocols, additional genetic testing, or a combination of strategies.

Making IVF more successful

While there is no way to reverse egg quality due to aging, fertility clinics have several options that help improve success rates. For instance, fertility specialists can estimate reproductive potential using several diagnostic tools. The doctor can order blood tests for anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) measurements. From there, individual fertility medication plans increase the rates of healthy egg production. Along with ultrasound testing, this data can gauge potential egg quality and quantity. For retrieved eggs during IVF, additionalpreimplantation genetic testing (PGT) determines which ones have healthy chromosomes. The team can then be more selective about which embryos are transferred to the uterus. When all else fails, donor egg IVF is recommended. These eggs are of a higher quality and increase pregnancy rates. The fertility team will provide all the details and possible outcomes, helping patients to see the relationship between aging and IVF success.

Success is still possible

Patient age and ovarian health dictate egg quality and IVF success. Even with the amazing progress of IVF, there is no working around the natural aging of a woman’s eggs. Clinics that keep patient and ovarian aging in mind are more likely to see breakthroughs. Measuring the patient’s ovarian reserve and analyzing egg quality can guide future decisions. At the same time, egg quality and aging are parts of a greater picture. The right techniques and options can improve success rates. Women with a higher risk of POI, a lower ovarian reserve, or poor egg quality should be aware of this relationship. Knowing about egg quality can help women feel empowered to take the steps necessary to improve success rates.