What’s the Best Clinic Abroad for IVF at 40?
Best clinic for IVF over 40
Many people who search for, and travel to IVF clinics abroad are aged over 40 and it has become commonplace for treatment providers to declare that they are the best fertility clinic for over 40. Women who are seeking IVF at 40 are not usually entitled to funded treatment in their own country and have to rely on self-funding. In countries such as the UK where the cost of private IVF treatment can be very expensive many people either have to beg and borrow the money from their family or perhaps remortgage their property. And if the treatment isn’t successful the first time then more debt is taken on which can add to higher levels of anxiety, worry and despair.
What to look for in an IVF clinic abroad if over 40
IVF clinics abroad in countries such as Greece, Spain, the Czech Republic and Cyprus for example offer much lower prices for fertility treatment. Throughout Europe there are a number of clinics that offer IVF at 40 at very competitive prices. But what should you look for in a clinic if you are aged over 40?.
Over 40’s Statistics
There are a number of sources of information available and relating to IVF over 40. This is due partly to the marketability of treatments aimed at this growing group of patients. As women look to delay treatments for personal or professional reasons there are substantially more patients looking for the best fertility clinic for over 40 than ever before. In the majority of countries that have a regulatory body which oversees the provision of fertility treatments clinics have to provide information on treatment segmented by age. In the Czech Republic for example all clinics must provide information on the numbers of patients who undergo IVF over 40 to SUKL, the State Institute for Drug Control which promotes and upholds standards of quality, safety and efficiency.
It is estimated that 30% of women between the ages of 40 and 44 experience infertility. Your chances of conceiving in any given month also become lower as you get older. Each month, the average 30-year-old woman has about a 20% chance of getting pregnant; as a 40-year-old this figure reduces to 5%. Women are born with all the eggs that they will ovulate throughout their lives. So as you age, your eggs do too. Research has shown that assisted reproductive technology (ART) is less effective after you reach the age of 40, and the rate continues to fall as you get older. For example, intrauterine insemination (IUI) success rates can be as low as 5% for women in their 40s IVF has slightly better success rates for older people—about 15% per cycle but this rate is not as good as it is for younger people.
Egg donation treatment therefore may offer the best chances for someone who wants to get pregnant after the age of 40.
One note of caution.
For IVF treatment, the pregnancy outcomes are poorer in women over 40. Women are born with all the eggs that they will ovulate throughout their lives. So as you age, your eggs do too. And errors can occur which make it more likely that an embryo won’t survive past early development.
If a clinic reports a high pregnancy rate for women over 40’s using their own eggs then it is prudent to query this data. It may be that they are transferring 3 or 4 embryos at a time which can result in a multiple pregnancy. This can cause serious problems for the mother and babies and should be avoided.
Embryo monitoring
The vast majority of clinics have now introduced time-lapse embryo monitoring into their laboratories. You can find out more about embryo monitoring here but it basically allows the embryologist to monitor closely a patient’s embryos as they develop in the incubator, enabling them to assess and rank embryos correctly for quality, allowing the transfer of the potentially ‘best’ embryo first.
Time-lapse embryo monitoring can also tell the embryologist which embryos are not dividing properly and achieving their developmental milestones. For women over 40 who may have embryos which may have the potential to have genetic abnormalities than a younger woman, embryo monitoring can help the embryologist select the best embryos for transfer. It is non-invasive and if you only have a few embryos, you want to make sure that the best ones are transferred. It also means that there is less of a requirement to put 2 or 3 embryos back which can result in a multiple pregnancy. If the clinic has embryo monitoring equipment, it may help narrow your choice of clinic.
Time-lapse embryo monitoring therefore has impacted greatly – the best fertility clinic for over 40 can enhance its position by the use of this technology.
Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)
This technique involves removing a few cells of the developing embryo and these are screened for genetic abnormalities. For women undergoing IVF at 40 and who are at risk of their embryo developing Downs syndrome or other genetic abnormalities, this technique can tell which embryos are free of the abnormality.
Good Aftercare
Some IVF clinics have much more experience in treating women who are seeking IVF over 40 than others. Women over 35 years are at higher risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy and so it is very important that the pregnancy is monitored closely. Your IVF clinic should explain the risks associated with the treatment in your age group. Responsible clinics will ensure that you are informed of the risks and are followed up at home by your own medical practitioner.
Mammogram before IVF
A responsible clinic will check that you are fit and healthy to go through treatment. As we age, we are more prone to disease like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Some clinics will insist that you provide a recent mammogram or have one done at their premises. It may be something that you are uncomfortable with, and people do have opinions on it. If you are unsure why it is needed or worried about the added expense, discuss this with your doctor. Ensuring you are healthy and free of disease should be a priority. A clinic which considers these aspects provides patients with a degree of comfort. Mammograms are over in a few minutes and a degree of discomfort for a short time is nothing if it will save your life.
What makes best fertility clinic for over 40 year old patients?
Here are some questions we are frequently asked.
I am 42 – is it too late for me to have IVF?
Not necessarily although your chances of having a successful IVF procedure using your own eggs are diminished because of your age. You need to have a frank conversation with your doctor who will look at your medical history and undertake a fertility appraisal to ascertain your specific chances of conceiving through IVF.
Should I try IVF with my own or donated eggs?
Egg donation may offer the best chance for someone who wants to get pregnant after the age of 40. Success rates for IVF at 40 using a donor egg can be upwards of 35% in cases of diminished ovarian reserve (which happens naturally with age).
My partner is 40 plus – does this matter?
The male part of the fertility equation is sometimes underestimated. Your fertility appraisal must include the male input so a sperm analysis for your partner is definitely required. A sperm donor might be a consideration for older eggs depending on the situation. Think about all of the options — maybe you don’t need an egg donor, it could be the sperm that you need to get donated. As always, get tested and get information about you and your partner so you can make the best decision as a team.
Am I more likely to have twins or triplets with an older pregnancy?
Natural twin rates are higher in 40-year-olds than women in their 20s. The reason for this is that when the FSH levels go up sometimes more than one egg ovulates and sometimes two are genetically normal and you can get twins. The chances of this happening are low, but it is still a possibility.
Are there any benefits of having a baby after 40?
Accepting that having a child when you're older comes with challenges, there are also some benefits which can include,
-You might be more financially stable and be able to address increased expenditure which comes with raising a child
-You might be more emotionally prepared – mental and emotional stability will prepare you for the inevitable ups and downs of pregnancy, birth, and child-rearing
Need any help? Our website features a wide range of IVF clinics for over 40 which will help narrow your choice.
If you need help choosing an IVF Clinic Abroad – spare 3 minutes of your time.
You will save at least a few hours.
If you are looking for an egg donation clinic abroad, use the FertilityClinicsAbroad.com unique patients tool – Clinic Matching Test. We will analyse your needs and choose 3 overseas clinics which match your expectations. Our database of IVF centres includes only trusted fertility clinics which have experience in providing high-quality services to international patients. The suggested IVF centres will contact you directly within 1-2 working days. Spare 3 minutes of your time – you will save at least a few hours!
You may be interested in reading IVF for Single Women.
