OOCYTE DONATION TO WOMEN OVER 40 YEARS OF AGE - PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS

Recently, oocyte donation to women of advanced age has led to a consid erable number of conceptions, thus increasing the age limit for becomi ng pregnant. A main consideration encountered by physicians, though, i s the potential medical and obstetric complications of a pregnancy at an advanced age. In this study, the obstetric complications, as well a s the perinatal outcome, of pregnancies of aged recipients (above 40) are presented and compared to those of younger recipients. A significa ntly higher incidence of gestational diabetes (P < 0.001), an increase d incidence of pre-eclampsia (at the 10% level of significance) and an increased risk fdr thrombophlebitis (again at the 10% level) was obse rved in the older patients, but a careful follow-up during their pregn ancy led to a highly satisfactory obstetric and perinatal outcome. A r igorous precycle medical screening (especially for cardiovascular dise ases and diabetes) and a careful follow-up during pregnancy is, theref ore, imperative so that oocyte donation to older women is not withheld and continues to provide fertility possibilities to otherwise sterile patients.