Treating infertility in women of advanced reproductive age brings higher risks and lower success rates. A prominent specialist in reproductive medicine, Vladislav Korsak, president of the Russian Society of Human Reproduction, discussed these concerns in conversation with socialbites.ca.
“Egg quality declines with age, and there is nothing that can fully halt this natural process. As a result, the probability of having a child with genetic disorders, including Down syndrome, rises significantly as a person grows older. Public resources are spent over a lifetime to care for individuals with these conditions, which translates into taxpayer costs. This is why experts advocate genetic testing of embryos as part of infertility treatment for women in later reproductive years,” Korsak explained.
He emphasized that fertility declines markedly for women aged 35 to 39, with chances of successful pregnancy two to three times lower than for younger women. The older a prospective mother is, the greater the likelihood of pregnancy complications, underscoring the need for careful medical planning and risk management throughout assisted reproduction procedures.
On April 10, a coalition of specialists gathered at the Federation Council to review women’s reproductive health policies. The discussions produced recommendations for setting a maximum age at which government support for infertility treatment would be available. While the World Health Organization considers reproductive age to extend up to 49, several countries implement restrictions on access to assisted reproductive technology earlier in life.
“There is no current proposal to ban ART for women beyond age 49. At the meeting, participants shared perspectives on how to optimize the use of public resources while considering international experience. The goal remains clear: to support the birth of healthy children, but the likelihood of pregnancy decreases with age, even when ART is employed,” Korsak noted.