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The effect of age on in vitro fertilization outcome: is too young possible?

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

The negative correlation between fecundity and age in women has been extensively documented although data on reproductive performance in very young women is sparse. The objective of this study was to determine whether age ≤25 years has an impact on reproductive outcome in women undergoing IVF-ET.

Methods

IVF outcome in 85 infertility patients aged 19–25 years was compared to that in 69 infertility patients aged 30–35 years. Primary outcomes included fertilization rates and embryo quality. Secondary outcomes were clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates.

Results

The young patients (≤25 years) demonstrated a lower fertilization rate, and reduced number of top quality embryos. Although clinical pregnancy, and implantation rates were similar to their older counterparts (30–35 years), the young women had a significantly higher miscarriage rate.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrating poorer reproductive performance in very young patients were surprising and need further investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology (TCART), University of Toronto, 210-150 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 2X9, Canada

    Zohreh Nazemian, Navid Esfandiari, Murid Javed & Robert F. Casper

  2. Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Zohreh Nazemian, Navid Esfandiari & Robert F. Casper

Authors
  1. Zohreh Nazemian
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  2. Navid Esfandiari
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  3. Murid Javed
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  4. Robert F. Casper
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert F. Casper.

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Capsule

Our results demonstrated that very young women had poorer reproductive performance compared to patients in their early thirties.

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Nazemian, Z., Esfandiari, N., Javed, M. et al. The effect of age on in vitro fertilization outcome: is too young possible?. J Assist Reprod Genet 28, 101–106 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-010-9499-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-010-9499-z

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