Infertility: Is there a role for ovarian stimulation and intra-uterine insemination after age 40?

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) 1994-12, Vol.9 (12), p.2284-2286
• Main Authors: Frederick, J.L., Denker, M.S., Rojas, A., Horta, I., Stone, S.C., Asch, R.H., Balmaceda, J.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: intra-uterine insemination; maternal age; pregnancy
• ISSN: 0268-1161; 1460-2350
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a138438

The objective of this study was to determine the conception rate in infertile couples in which the female partner was≥40 years old and who had received ovarian stimulation treatment and intra-uterine insemination (IUI). It was a retrospective study of 77 patients who underwent a total of 210 treatment cycles. Protocols for ovulation induction included clomiphene citrate, human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) and clomiphene citrate plus HMG. Patients were monitored using transvaginal ultrasound, and two IUI were performed 24 and 48 h after the determination of urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) surge or human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) injection. A total of 11 pregnancies were reported, giving a pregnancy rate of 14% per patient and 5% per cycle. Eight spontaneous abortions occurred, giving a pregnancy wastage of 73%. In a previous comparative analysis of 543 patients 40 years of age. This information will be important in the proper counselling of this group of patients, as well as indicating that a prompt recommendation for assisted reproductive treatment should be made soon after the failure of a few attempted cycles of ovarian stimulation treatment and IUI.