Effect of maternal age on clinical outcome in women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of age of IVF success in women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer by comparing IVF outcome in two groups of patients: group 1-age < or = 35 years old and group 2-age > 35 years old. This retrospective study covered a one year period between January 1991-December 1991 and included 230 patients with 634 treatment cycles. The patients' mean age was 32 +/- 1.9 (range 20-38 years old). Inclusion criteria for treatment of patients with IVF-ET included patients with tubal disease and non-tubal disease who have failed conventional treatments. The majority of patients had infertility from tubal damage, unexplained infertility, and male infertility. This study showed that all pregnancy rates, ongoing pregnancy rates and implantation rates were found to be higher in the < or = 35 year old group. The pregnancy rate per ET, ongoing pregnancy rate and implantation rate were found to be 35.17, 27.58, 16.53 per cent respectively; while in the > 35 year old group, the pregnancy rate per ET, ongoing pregnancy rate, implantation rate were found to be only 17.93, 11.03, 8.07 per cent respectively. The miscarriage rate tended to be higher in the > 35 year old group (34.62%) compared to 15.69 per cent found in < or = 35 year old group. Multiple pregnancy rate and ectopic pregnancy rate were found to be 17.65 and 5.89 per cent respectively for the < or = 35 year old group but only 7.69, 3.85 per cent respectively for the > 35 year old group. From the statistical analysis comparing the outcome of pregnancy in these two groups, the pregnancy rate per ET, implantation rate, ongoing pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate were found to have statistical difference with P < 0.05. However, multiple pregnancy rate and ectopic pregnancy rate did not show any statistical significance in these two groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that maternal age especially when greater than 35 years old adversely affects clinical pregnancy and the spontaneous abortion rate.