How old is too old for in vitro maturation (IVM) treatment?

Objective: Fertility declines with age. A study of the outcomes of in vitro maturation (IVM) in women of different ages has not been reported to date. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of age on treatment response and on pregnancy rates after IVM treatment.

Study Design: We reviewed the data of all IVM cycles and recorded the total number of oocytes, total metaphase II (MII) oocytes, the number and quality of embryos as well as pregnancy rates. The main outcome measures were number and maturity of retrieved oocytes and pregnancy rates.

Results: Compared to cycles in women ≤25 years, the number of oocytes and total MII oocytes were significantly lower in women over 40 years. The number of good quality embryos in women ≤25 years (3.6±1.7) was higher than in women aged 40 years (0.8±1.2, P<0.0001). The ongoing pregnancy rates in women aged 20-25 years were 36.8%, 26-35 years were 30.0% and in those 36-39 years were 31.9%. No clinical pregnancy was observed in women over the age of 40.

Conclusion: Women over 40 years are poor candidates for IVM treatment.