According to a new study shows there is no conclusive medical reason, based on age, why women in their 50s should not try to become pregnant by in vitro fertilization. Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California investigated pregnancy outcomes in women, ages 50 and older, who conceived after in vitro fertilization with donor eggs. They analyzed the cases of 70 post menopausal women with no chronic medical conditions who had a total of 125 embryo transfer techniques. 85 of the eggs used were fresh and 32 of the eggs were frozen. Donors were between ages 22 and 33.
Researchers of this study observe that there were 52 clinical pregnancies for a total pregnancy rate of 45.5 percent.42.1%. Of the 70 women in the series, 40 (54.5 percent) had live births. Three women carried two consecutive pregnancies. A total of 42 donors provided [eggs] for the 45 deliveries. In 26 cases (58 percent), the delivery was the mother's first.Of the 46 deliveries, 28 single babies, 13 sets of twins, and two sets of triplets were delivered. All multiples and 62% of single babies were delivered by cesarean. Researchers observed mild pre-eclampsia, or pregnancy-associated hypertension, in 25 percent of patients and severe pre-eclampsia in 10 percent of patients. Gestational diabetes required diet modification in 17.5 percent of patients. Researchers also observed an increase in the incidence of complications among those older than age 55 compared with those between ages 50 and 54.
