PREGNANCIES IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN OVER 50 YEARS OLD IN AN OOCYTE DONATION PROGRAM

Objective: To determine the potential of the aging uterus in terms of pregnancy, implantation, and abortion rates, and obstetric complicatio ns in postmenopausal women age 50 and over, receiving oocyte donation. Design: Retrospective data analysis. Setting: A tertiary infertility center. Patients: Thirty-four postmenopausal women (50 to 62 years of age) undergoing a total of 61 cycles of oocyte donation. Interventions : Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was given using increasing doses o f 17 beta-E(2) (2, 4, and 6 mg) and 100 mg of P in oil. Main Outcome M easures: Pregnancy, abortion, and implantation rates, and pregnancy ou tcome. Results: There were 34 patients treated through 61 cycles. Fift y-five transfer cycles were performed. A total of 18 clinical pregnanc ies were achieved with a pregnancy rate per transfer of 32.7% and per patient of 52.9%. There was one abortion, resulting in an abortion rat e of 5.5%. Twenty-one of the 116 transferred embryos implanted, result ing in an implantation rate of 18%. No statistically different rates w ere found in oocytes donors. Conclusion: Women over the age of 50 and up to 62 can become pregnant using donated oocytes. The aging uterus a fter HRT allows implantation as well as in young women, and it is able to carry pregnancy to term apparently without any problems.