Dr. Bill Meyer shares this article with patients and notes again how “age is the major determinate in fertility.” It’s never too soon to schedule a consult if you suspect a problem.
The Danish assisted reproductive technology registry recently reported a 71% live birth rate within 5 years of beginning fertility treatment among 20,000 women followed. “Conception occurred after treatment in 57% of women, and was spontaneous in 14%,” noted Dr. Sara Malchau of Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark. Dr. Malchau reported birth rates within the first two years of beginning fertility treatments as 57%, 65% after 3 years, and 71% after five years of beginning fertility treatment.
Maternal age is still the biggest predictor of fertility success. Birth rates at 5 years were 80% for women under 35 pursuing fertility treatment, 60.5% for those ages 35-40, and 26.2% for those 40+. Dr. Malchau recommends new fertility patients be told a projected timeline until live birth will likely occur rather than the projected number of fertility cycles a patient may require to yield success.
To read Sharon Worcester’s complete article, click here.