IVF for Older Couples: Tailored Fertility Treatments for the Over 40s

30th January 2019 in Treatments

This information was correct at the time of publishing. It may not reflect our current practices, prices or regulations.

At Manchester Fertility we welcome a lot of patients into our clinic who are wanting to start a family together later in life. Many start this journey worried about their chances of success and if they need an egg donor, how they will find one.

As a specialist fertility clinic for patients over the age of 40, we know and understand the unique challenges you face. Not just the possibility of using donor eggs, but the importance of male fertility and sperm health too, which also declines with age. It is also not uncommon for many older men we see to have added complications, such as vasectomy from a previous relationship.

The good news is that we can help you conceive up to the age of 50, using donor eggs and donor sperm if needed with no waiting list. Here is a quick guide to what we assess and treatments to help:

Fertility testing for older women

A comprehensive fertility test for both partners is the first step, for a personalised and tailored treatment path.

For women, we will look at your ovarian reserve, which indicates how many eggs you have remaining, together with hormone levels and other key factors including your age. Your results help us to decide if donor eggs are your best option, or if you may be able to attempt treatment with own eggs.

If you are over the age of 44, we strongly advise donor eggs. If you do wish to try IVF with your own eggs, we may advise additional genetic testing of your embryos.

Older women are at a higher risk of a pregnancy affected by chromosome abnormalities due to age. You may be advised to have Preimplantation Genetic Screening, which checks embryos have the right chromosome numbers before transfer.

Fertility testing for older men

For men, we will perform a semen analysis, which involves examining a sample of sperm under the microscope to examine the sperm count, movement, shape and volume. If necessary, we can also perform an advanced sperm test, the SpermComet DNA damage test.

If there are issues such as previous vasectomy or male fertility conditions such as retrograde ejaculation, you will be seen by male fertility specialist, Dr Muhammad Akhtar. He will discuss the procedures that are needed, with the aim of recovering viable sperm that we can use in treatment.

Fertility treatment for the over 40s

Treatment with donor eggs

We have UK donor eggs ready now in our in-house donor bank. You can choose either fresh or frozen donor eggs, with the option of our new donor eggs packages. 

Treatment with donor eggs and donor sperm

Some couples may need to use both donor sperm and donor eggs to conceive. We have UK donor sperm from our own donor bank ready for your treatment, so you can start your family straight away. We only accept men as sperm donors who have the highest quality sperm.

IVF and older couples: Manchester Fertility expertise

Talk to our friendly Patient Advisors to discuss your options as an older couple. Book a free, no obligation 1-2-1 or self-refer online and we will make you a consultation appointment. You can also read some of our patients’ stories on our Testimonials page.

 

Last updated: 14th February 2019