Did of you do PGD? Wondering if this is something I should also consider due to AMA.

Agree w/ the PP. However, everyone has the right to their own opinion, IMO. I had a horrendous TTC today, myself. Nothing will help...Eastern OR Western medicine

Anonymous wrote:I think women over 40, regardless of the clinic they choose to use, need to improve their own body first before considering IVF. It increases the odds of IVF working. Consider acupuncture, giving up red meat, seeing a chinese medicine doctor, or someone who specializes in fertility such as Randine Lewis for at least a yr before trying IVF. And I would not limit your clinics to just the one around the corner. Shady Grove sees lots of people but they aren't the ones with the best statistics for women over 40. Consider out of state clinics if necessary also. I tried SG and had no success. But when I incorporated these other things and went out of state I got pg...at 44.

What??????????

I would NEVER EVER piss away a year with unproven mumbo jumbo when I'm 40 and trying to have a baby. Shame on you for even putting this in writing. Seriously!?!?!?

Anonymous wrote:What was your highest FSH? Day 2 for me, and today's FSH was my worst ever (by 9 points) at an ominous, heartbreaking 31!!!!! I am going yo be 44 next ninth, single, TTC #1. Contests to you. Did you have the baby yet?

I'm in my last month. But it doesn't matter if your FSH is high. Acupuncture and chinese medicine can actually lower your FSH. That's why I'm suggesting that you take a break for at least 8 mos - 1 year and do acupuncture (2x a week), change your diet, see a chinese medical doctor (Randine Lewis), and then you should be a gradual lowering of your FSH. IVF meds may work better when your body is healthier.

Contests/congrats

yo/to
Ninth/month

What was your highest FSH? Day 2 for me, and today's FSH was my worst ever (by 9 points) at an ominous, heartbreaking 31!!!!! I am going yo be 44 next ninth, single, TTC #1. Contests to you. Did you have the baby yet?

I think women over 40, regardless of the clinic they choose to use, need to improve their own body first before considering IVF. It increases the odds of IVF working. Consider acupuncture, giving up red meat, seeing a chinese medicine doctor, or someone who specializes in fertility such as Randine Lewis for at least a yr before trying IVF. And I would not limit your clinics to just the one around the corner. Shady Grove sees lots of people but they aren't the ones with the best statistics for women over 40. Consider out of state clinics if necessary also. I tried SG and had no success. But when I incorporated these other things and went out of state I got pg...at 44.

Another Shady Grove pt. Had fist cycle at 41 and was successful. Now trying again at 43. Never any pressure to use donor eggs. They were realistic about my chances of success but supportive of whichever route I wanted to take.

Ivf success on first try with Shady Grove (Dr. Kahn) 40 at IVF, 41 at birth. We went straight to IVF due to male issues.

FWIW, no one at SG ever was negative or unwilling to do IVF due to my age. I think they used their typical Protocol, but they did use assisted hatching (due to my age). ICSI too, but that was required due to male issues.

Good luck....

IVF success on first try at 41 with Dr. Sacks at CFA. Going back again at 43!.

Funny, I have almost the opposite story about Dominion as 8:54.

Dominion HIGHLY supportive of my IVF attempts at 40+. I worked with Dr. Gordon, and I can't say enough about his support of my husband and me throughout our time with him.

I went through 3 stimulated IVFs...
1st, BFP but a traumatic early 2nd trimester loss due to T18
2nd, BFN
3rd, (eggs collected the day before my 42nd birthday)
BBFP...initial implantation of three, lost one...took home healthy b/g twins.

I think I was an atypical 40+ patient...I actually had symptoms of OHSS throughout all three stim cycles, and typically had 13+ eggs retrieved per cycle.

I had 6, 5 day embryos transferred in each of my 3 IVFs.

So, honestly, probably no 'magic' bullet, just an atypical tremendous response to the stim meds.

I don't think any of the clinics have any "expertise" in over 40 women, but there are definitely some that are more willing to "let" you do IVF (because it impacts their success rates). Dr Sacks at Columbia is very willing to work with women over 40. Shady Grove is generally less willing, in my experience.

Success on my first try with IVF at age 41 with Dr. Gindoff at GWU. This is after being told by Dr. DiMattina at Dominion that I should either adopt or use donor egg. No one at GWU took pause when I told them my age. At the time (2006) GWU had one of the best success rates for women over 40 of the local clinics.

Would love to hear from people 40 and over who have success and with who. Also would love to know if you feel that that particular RE or office did anything differently than others may have.

Thanks!