ABSTRACT
Current demographic trends towards delayed childbearing due to career or financial pressures, together with a rising divorce rate which results in many women seeking to conceive in a new relationship and at an older age, have combined to produce an apparent “epidemic” of infertility in women aged 35+ years. Good nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and modern medical care mean that many women in their late thirties and early forties look and feel much younger than they actually are, but their chances of successful spontaneous pregnancy are unfortunately quite low at a time when they are ready and able to become excellent parents. These same demographic changes have increased the average age at which women are pursuing fertility treatments and are undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs). IVF was “designed” for young women with tubal blockage or partners with “moderate” male-factor infertility. Today, IVF and ICSI are seen as a panacea for all fertility problems and, unfortunately, older women often obtain poor numbers of low-quality oocytes, which are associated with low pregnancy rates.1 A poor response to ovarian stimulation is not restricted to older women, however, and given the high emotional, psychological, and financial costs associated with ART, it is important that women considering fertility treatment are appropriately counseled about their individual chances of a successful outcome.
