Most women believe they have passed the age of becoming mothers. Years rolled on as they concentrated on developing their careers, handling family matters, or struggling with health issues. When they finally think they are ready for a child, menopause has already set in. Society advises them that it’s too late, but women do not lose hope.
Against all odds, your IVF journey can be a worthwhile challenge after seeing those two lines on your pregnancy test. Yes, women can conceive even after menopause by using donor eggs and hormonal therapies. At our fertility centre, we support women physically and mentally to bear their child even in their late 40s.
Understanding IVF and Menopause
While a woman’s natural fertility stops or ends with menopause, in vitro fertilization (IVF) makes pregnancy possible due to technological advancement. IVF is now a feasible choice for many women who once felt that becoming mothers was beyond reach.
Natural conception becomes difficult when the ovaries are no longer able to produce eggs during menopause. Yet, the uterus may still be able to carry a pregnancy with donor eggs and hormone therapy. Even post-menopausal, IVF allows women to make their dream of being mothers come true.
Risks of Pregnancy After Menopause
Women above 35 face more challenges during pregnancy than younger women. These are a few possible complications:
- Women above the age of 35 can face more pregnancy-related issues, especially in the case of gestational diabetes, which impacts the health of the mother and the unborn baby,
- There can be medication and close monitoring for high blood pressure.
- Bed rest or a C-section may be required for placenta previa.
- There is an increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
- Multiple births become more frequent following menopause and may lead to low birth weight or premature delivery.
- High chances of the child being born with Down syndrome or other hereditary defects.
- Older women are also at greater risk for having other health problems which complicate pregnancy and birth.
Is Natural Pregnancy Possible After Menopause?
A woman’s egg reserve is finally depleted, resulting in cessation of the natural capacity for conception; yet the fertility of females begins to drop before the onset of menopause.
Although the typical age of menopause ranges between 45 and 55, in some women, it has been earlier after they had surgically removed their ovarian glands. In rare cases, menopause sets in before the age of 40.
If a woman fails to have her menstrual period for a complete year, then she must be in menopause. Fertility starts to decline by 30, and by 45, natural pregnancy becomes rare. Only about one in ten women over 40 can conceive in any given month.
IVF After Menopause: A Ray of Hope
You can’t get pregnant naturally after postmenopause because your body doesn’t make the right hormones for ovulation anymore. Birth control is no longer needed at this stage. IVF (In Vitro fertilization) is still an option for becoming pregnant, though. This means:
- You can utilise your frozen eggs for pregnancy if you do it earlier in life.
- You may also employ fresh or frozen donor eggs.
- Hormone therapy is needed to let the embryo grow and to condition your body.
But it involves more risk associated with IVF after menopause. Women are more prone to developing some health issues that are pregnancy-related at this phase. It cannot be convenient for everyone because IVF depends upon the overall health of an individual. Your doctor can say if it’s suitable for you.
Steps Involved in IVF Procedure
The following are crucial steps in IVF treatment post-menopause:
Hormonal Preparation
The first step in IVF after menopause is inducing the hormones such as progesterone and estrogen to set an ideal place for an embryo to implant.
Egg Donation
Women’s ability to produce healthy eggs reduces with age. Donor eggs are employed in such cases. For creating embryos, these eggs are fertilized with sperm in a laboratory.
Embryo Transfer
For further development, the matured embryos are placed into the uterus of the woman. It is an easy procedure that usually leads to little or no pain.
PGT Test for Screening the Embryos
Doctors also screen embryos for disease and genetic problems prior to transfer. This helps in selecting the best embryo for a successful pregnancy.
Diet and Lifestyle Changes
For higher chances of becoming pregnant with the help of IVF, professionals suggest exercise, relaxation, and a balanced diet. Conception can be attained through these tiny modifications.
Observation and Support
The health care providers monitor the embryo closely to see if it has settled in the uterus. Hormones can be given during the first trimester to support the pregnancy.
Success Rates and Considerations
The source of eggs is what makes IVF successful in menopausal women. Menopausal women’s fresh eggs are not as likely to be successful compared to frozen eggs that were harvested earlier in life. The most successful donor eggs are usually from healthy, young women.
IVF success is dependent on various factors. Age matters a lot, and even after hormone treatments, egg quality goes down with increasing age. Medical conditions and lifestyle factors, such as obesity, smoking, and chronic diseases, also affect the success of pregnancy. IVF success can be improved by living a healthy lifestyle.
Other Possible ART Options for Pregnancy After Menopause
IVF is not always successful, and older women have lower success rates. IVF only results in a successful pregnancy for only 28% of women over 40. After menopause, conception is still feasible, particularly with donor eggs. IVF has occasionally resulted in successful pregnancies for women as old as sixty.
It is the only postmenopausal fertility option accessible to older women. If IVF isn’t the best option for a woman, she can still become a parent through surrogacy and adoption.
Adoption
Through the legal care of a child, adoption enables couples to become parents. It offers children in need of families a caring environment.
Surrogacy
In surrogacy, a different woman bears a child for the intended parents. It facilitates the sensation of biological motherhood for those who are unable to conceive.
Conclusion
Hormone therapy and IVF are possible ways to get pregnant after menopause, but they are neither easy nor safe. If you are going for IVF, you have to undergo expert fertility consultation and close medical monitoring while undergoing the treatment.
IVF creates an embryo that is implanted in the uterus by combining sperm and donor eggs—or your own, if you had frozen them beforehand. A natural pregnancy is impossible if it has been a year since your last menstruation and you are past your prime years. To assist you conceive in this situation, IVF is required.
