Infertility treatments for women aged 38 and over
Felicitas Mehiläinen has a special stimulation model that we use in the in vitro fertilisation treatments for women over the age of 38 in selected cases in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
A woman’s best fertile age is between 20 and 30. As the woman gets older, the time it takes to get pregnant and the risk of infertility increases. The risk is about 30% in women aged 35–39 and 65% in those aged 40–44.
During the foetal period, there are millions of eggs in the ovaries and, at the beginning of the fertile age, there are less than half a million of them and the number is constantly irreversibly decreasing with age, reducing the chances of getting pregnant. Over time, the quality of the eggs also deteriorates, increasing foetal chromosomal abnormalities that may lead to miscarriages, for instance. The likelihood of miscarriages begins to rise after the age of 35. About half of the pregnancies of 40-year-old women result in a miscarriage while the corresponding figure among 45-year-olds is approximately 90%.
Globally speaking, the idea of a suitable time to start a family has gradually shifted further and further away from the woman’s optimal fertile age. The good availability and safety of contraceptive methods, professional and financial interests and the absence of a spouse are some of the significant factors that postpone attempts to get pregnant. The possibility of pregnancy begins to decrease significantly already at the age of 38, and so more than half of in vitro fertilisation treatments worldwide are performed on women over the age of 38.
If you are over 38 and you want to become pregnant, it is advisable to undergo infertility examinations well in advance. Determining your fertility and examining your spouse’s semen should be done at an early stage. If there is something that needs treatment, the chances of pregnancy are better the sooner measures are taken. The primary form of treatment for women over the age of 40 is in vitro fertilisation treatment as the likelihood of pregnancy with other treatment methods is only a few percent. The form of treatment is chosen on a case-by-case basis for people aged 38–40.
We pay particular attention to the health and fertility of women over 38 in relation to their wish to become pregnant. We consider it very important that the basic prerequisites for a safe pregnancy are in order while we aim to start the required infertility treatments without wasting time. The treatment path also progresses to in vitro fertilisation at a lower threshold than for younger people. Felicitas Mehiläinen has a special stimulation model that we use in the in vitro fertilisation treatments for women over the age of 38 in selected cases in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Due to the increased risk of miscarriage resulting from chromosomal abnormalities, the embryo’s chromosomes (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) are often examined already at the embryonic stage in the case of in vitro fertilisation. This ensures that embryos with abnormal chromosomes are not transferred to the uterus, reduces the risk of miscarriage and accelerates the onset of pregnancy leading to the birth of a child.
You are most welcome to meet with us. Start by booking a first appointment with an infertility specialist.
Getting started with infertility treatments
We want to help you and your possible spouse with all available means. You can book an appointment at Felicitas Mehiläinen as soon as you are worried that you cannot get pregnant. No referral or previous examinations are required.
