A retrospective study of the Quebec pregnancy registry indicated no successful IVF pregnancies in patients > 44 y/o in Canada from 2010-2012. The conclusions from the authors is that IVF in woman> 44 y/o is pointless and expensive.
We have been involved with dozens of successful IVF pregnancies in woman older than 44 years (their own eggs, of course). Not many, but enough to show it isn’t “pointless”.
Our conclusion is that high stimulation protocols (which tends to be used) will NOT optimize these women’s chances.
By decreasing medication and egg retrieval costs (i.e. intravenous sedation) and improve stress and recovery, Japanese IVF can optimize a woman’s success at this age.