Among all the arguments given against women using an egg donor at age 50 to become pregnant, safety can’t be counted as one of them.

 

According to a new study released by Dr. Mark Sauer of Columbia University Medical Center, women who use an egg donor at age 50 are no more at risk for pregnancy complications such as diabetes and preterm labor than women under the age of 42.

 

Egg donation is the process by which women who are unable to use their own eggs due to diminished ovarian reserve or menopause, can receive IVF treatment using the eggs of a selected egg donor.

 

While there are risks with every medical procedure and all women who become pregnant at older ages (35+) have increased risks for complications – there is no reason why a woman at 50 cannot do what is already being done for women at age 42.

 

“These women do really pretty well,” said Dr. Mark Sauer. “If they’re well-screened and well cared for, they really should do O.K.”

Women who have delayed starting a family until later in life have become one of the fastest growing groups seeking assisted reproductive treatment, such as egg donation, in order to become pregnant. And, thanks to the advances in reproductive medicine – many of them are successful.

However, not everyone is comfortable with helping older women to become pregnant. As noted in the recent New York Magazine article, “Is She Just Too Old for This?”, which displayed a white haired pregnant woman on the cover, there are social, financial, and emotional risks to embarking on pregnancy at older ages. “I lose my own personal comfort zone when you get over 60,” commented Dr. Richard Paulson who is the director of USC Fertility, referencing the physical, emotional and financial costs of child rearing while approaching retirement age.