Your Fertility: Advanced Maternal Age

September 10, 2025Molly Chu Chen - Labryo Fertility

Educational

The choice to start or grow a family is one of the most meaningful decisions in life. For many women today, that choice is made later than in previous generations. In fact, the average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. has risen from 21 in 1972 to 30 in 2024 (Pew Research). Careers, financial planning, relationships, and personal goals often come before parenthood.

With this shift comes an important consideration: advanced maternal age. While the term may sound clinical, it is simply a medical designation for pregnancy at age 35 or older. For some, the idea of trying to conceive later in life brings feelings of hope mixed with worry. At Labryo Fertility in Newport Beach, California, we want patients to know that while age does impact fertility, it is not the end of the story.

What Is Advanced Maternal Age?

In medical practice, advanced maternal age (AMA) refers to pregnancies in women aged 35 years or older. This threshold exists because fertility tends to decline more significantly in the mid-30s, particularly in terms of egg quality and egg quantity.

Egg quantity: Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have—typically around one to two million at birth. By puberty, only about 300,000 remain, and by age 35, that number is substantially lower.
Egg quality: As eggs age, they are more prone to chromosomal abnormalities, which can contribute to miscarriage or genetic conditions.

Schedule a fertility assessment in Newport Beach to understand your reproductive health and plan your next steps.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women over 40 face a natural conception rate of under 10% per cycle. However, with advanced reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), success rates improve significantly.

What Is Considered Advanced Maternal Age?

While 35 is the official cutoff for AMA, fertility changes occur gradually:

Ages 35–39: Fertility declines steadily, and risks of miscarriage and genetic abnormalities increase. However, many women in this age group conceive naturally or with mild medical assistance.
Ages 40–44: Natural conception becomes less likely, with higher risks of complications. At this stage, most patients benefit from fertility treatments such as IVF or preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).
Age 45 and older: While natural conception is rare, assisted reproductive technologies, including donor eggs and surrogacy, can still make parenthood possible.

Understanding these distinctions allows patients to take a proactive approach—whether that means scheduling a fertility assessment or exploring options such as egg freezing at a younger age to preserve future choices.

Our team offers PGT in Newport Beach to help identify chromosomally normal embryos before transfer.

Advanced Maternal Age Pregnancy: Challenges and Possibilities

Challenges Patients May Face

Pregnancy at advanced maternal age may involve:

Decreased ovarian reserve – Fewer eggs remain available for fertilization.
Increased miscarriage rates – Risks climb from ~15% under age 35 to ~40% by age 40 (ASRM).
Chromosomal conditions – Risks of Down syndrome and other conditions increase as eggs age.
Medical complications – Pregnancies later in life may have higher risks of hypertension, gestational diabetes, or cesarean delivery.

Reasons for Hope

Thanks to modern medicine, the possibilities are greater than ever before. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) provides options such as:

IVF with PGT to select chromosomally normal embryos.
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) to improve fertilization success.
Donor eggs to overcome egg quality issues.
Cryopreservation to store embryos for future use.

Learn more about our IVF treatments in Newport Beach and how they help patients of advanced maternal age.

How Labryo Fertility Supports Patients of Advanced Maternal Age

At Labryo Fertility, our approach combines compassion, clinical excellence, and the latest scientific advancements. We recognize that patients of advanced maternal age need both medical precision and emotional support.

World-Class Laboratory Expertise

Our laboratory is equipped with research-grade Zeiss microscopes, advanced incubators, and highly specialized culture systems. This level of precision enables our embryologists to identify the healthiest embryos and maximize pregnancy outcomes.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)

For patients 35 and older, PGT can dramatically improve success rates by identifying chromosomally normal embryos before transfer. This reduces the risk of miscarriage and increases the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy.

Personalized IVF Protocols

No two patients are the same. Our physicians design tailored IVF stimulation protocols that consider your ovarian reserve, medical history, and treatment goals. This personalization often makes a crucial difference for women over 35.

Egg and Embryo Freezing Options

For women who wish to delay childbearing, egg and embryo freezing provides peace of mind. Preserving eggs at a younger age can offset the challenges of advanced maternal age later.

Third-Party Reproduction

When needed, Labryo Fertility provides access to donor eggs and gestational surrogacy—two proven pathways to achieving pregnancy when age-related limitations are significant.

Success Looks Different for Everyone

For some, success is conceiving with their own eggs. For others, it may mean pursuing IVF with donor eggs, or choosing surrogacy. What matters is finding the right path for you. At Labryo Fertility, we emphasize that advanced maternal age is not a barrier—it is simply a factor to navigate with the right tools and support.

Pregnancy at an advanced maternal age comes with unique challenges, but it also comes with new opportunities. Medical innovation, coupled with dedicated care, makes it possible for women in their late 30s, 40s, and beyond to achieve their dreams of parenthood.

At Labryo Fertility, we pride ourselves on blending science, technology, and compassion. Whether through IVF, PGT, or fertility preservation, our goal is to support patients at every stage of their journey.

If you are considering pregnancy at age 35 or older, we invite you to schedule a consultation and learn how Labryo Fertility can help you take the next step toward building your family.

Advanced maternal age does not define your future—it shapes your journey, and we are here to walk it with you.

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