Over 40s Fertility Program: Conceiving after 40
Your journey, your choice
IVF over 40 in Sydney is what the Demeter Fertility over 40s program was built for, and we run it for women trying to conceive with their own eggs, and we apply no upper age limit and no BMI restriction to who we will assess. The program exists because treating a 43 year old the way you would treat a 32 year old is a disservice to both. It combines fast, detailed diagnostics, stimulation protocols chosen for lower responders, ovarian rejuvenation with PRP where suitable, DuoStim double stimulation where time is the constraint, and PGT testing where enough embryos are available.
Many of our patients come to us after being declined elsewhere on the basis of age or AMH. Fertility treatment over 40 in Australia is often framed as a numbers problem, and the numbers are real, but they describe populations rather than individuals. What we offer is an honest assessment of your particular position and a plan built around it, delivered quickly, because time is the one variable nobody in this situation can afford to waste.
Getting pregnant over 40 with IVF: where you actually stand
Both egg quantity and egg quality decline with age , and the decline in quality is what makes conception harder after 40. Fewer of the eggs collected in a cycle will be chromosomally normal, which affects fertilisation, embryo development and miscarriage risk.
That is the honest picture and we are not going to soften it. What we will not do is treat it as a verdict. Population statistics tell you what happens on average across thousands of women. They do not tell you what your ovarian reserve looks like, how you respond to stimulation, or whether you have other factors working for or against you.
For the detailed statistics on conception and IVF outcomes by age, including the Australian data, read our guide to fertility after 40 . This page is about what we do with them.
Why IVF over 40 needs a different protocol
Standard IVF protocols are designed around standard responders, which is why IVF over 40 so often disappoints when it is run to a template. Applying them to a woman with age related decline in ovarian reserve produces predictable disappointment, and then the cycle is written off as bad luck.
Our program starts from the opposite assumption. Lower reserve and reduced egg quality are the design constraints, not an unfortunate deviation, so the protocol is built around them from the first cycle rather than after two failures.
In practice that means moving quickly, testing thoroughly before committing to a cycle, and using the tools that exist specifically for poor responders rather than repeating a standard cycle and hoping.
Our Over-40s Fertility Program
Demeter’s Over-40s Fertility Program is one of the most advanced in Australia. Led by Dr David Knight, a pioneer in patient-first IVF treatment, this program is tailored to support women with lower ovarian reserve and other age-related fertility changes.
Our program is grounded in the belief that older women require a tailored approach to fertility treatment. For us, simply doing what works for under-40s is actually a disservice to over-40s. You will not find a one-size-fits-all protocol here at Demeter Fertility.
For instance, if you’re over 40 and hope to conceive with your own eggs, you may benefit from ovarian rejuvenation to readjust your ovarian environment to a more androgen-rich state before commencing IVF treatment. This allows eggs to undergo a healthier maturation process.
What our IVF over 40s program includes
1
Rapid, detailed assessment
AMH, antral follicle count, FSH, oestradiol, thyroid function and a full review of your reproductive and treatment history, completed quickly. If you have had cycles elsewhere we want the detail of how you responded, not just the outcome. See what to expect at your first appointment.
2
Ovarian rejuvenation with PRP
Dr David Knight performed Australia’s first intraovarian PRP procedure in 2017 and has completed hundreds since. For women over 40 hoping to conceive with their own eggs, ovarian rejuvenation aims to improve the ovarian environment before stimulation begins so that eggs undergo a healthier maturation process. It is not suitable for every patient and suitability is assessed individually. Read the ovarian rejuvenation program page. This procedure is performed at our Hurstville and Liverpool locations.
3
DuoStim double stimulation
Two stimulations and two egg collections within a single menstrual cycle, using both the follicular and luteal phases. DuoStim can accumulate embryos considerably faster than waiting a full cycle between attempts.
4
Pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT)
Where enough embryos are available, preimplantation genetic testing can identify which are chromosomally normal. Since chromosomal abnormality is the dominant reason transfers fail after 40, this avoids spending months on transfers that were never going to succeed.
5
Investigation of failed cycles
you have had transfers fail with apparently good embryos, that is investigated rather than repeated. Our recurrent implantation failure work includes endometrial receptivity analysis, immune testing and hysteroscopy.
6
Inclusive approach and a donor program if you need it
A welcoming fertility journey inclusive of singles, couples and LGBTQIA+ people. Our egg and sperm donor program is there if it becomes the right path. We will raise it honestly when it is, and we will not push it simply because of your age.
One
good
egg
The principle underneath this program is that one good egg is worth more than several ordinary ones.
There is a tendency in IVF to treat the number of eggs collected as the measure of a successful cycle. For women over 40 that measure is actively misleading. Stimulating an ovary with limited reserve harder tends to produce neither quantity nor quality, and it is punishing for the patient.
We would rather run a cycle that produces three eggs, one of which is genuinely good, than one that produces nine that are not. Everything in the program, from the choice of protocol to the use of ovarian rejuvenation, is aimed at the quality of the response rather than the size of the number.
IVF over 42, and IVF over 45 with your own eggs
The further past 40 you go, the more the conversation has to be grounded in reality, and the more important it is that someone gives you a straight answer.
For IVF over 42, we will look at your markers and previous response and tell you what we think is achievable. For patients over 45 hoping to use their own eggs, the prospects are considerably more limited and we will say so plainly, while still assessing you properly rather than refusing on age alone.
What we will not do is decline to look. A number on a birth certificate is not a clinical assessment.
A fertility clinic with no age limit
Demeter Fertility applies no age limit and no BMI restriction to who we will assess and treat.
A significant proportion of our patients arrive having been turned away elsewhere, or discharged after a set number of cycles, or told at 44 that there is no point. Some have been given a single unsuccessful cycle and then advised to move to donor eggs without further investigation.
If you are changing IVF clinics, the process is straightforward and your records transfer. A second opinion costs you a consultation rather than another full cycle.
Why patients over 40 choose Demeter
A dedicated over 40s fertility program rather than standard IVF with adjusted dosing
Ovarian rejuvenation, offered here since 2017 and available at very few Australian clinics
DuoStim double stimulation for patients where time is the binding constraint
No age limit and no BMI restriction
Winner, Most Trusted Family Owned Fertility Clinic 2024, NSW Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Awards
Family owned, so clinical decisions are not made to a corporate template
An inclusive program covering single women and LGBTQIA+ patients
Telehealth consultations for interstate and International patients
Book an assessment
If you are over 40 and considering IVF, or you have been told your options have run out, the useful next step is an assessment that tells you where you actually stand. You will get a direct answer about what is realistic in your case, and a plan if there is one worth making.
Hurstville: Suite 901, Level 9, Hurstville Plaza One, 288 Forest Rd, Hurstville NSW 2220. Phone 1300 899 850
Liverpool: Level 2/13 to 15 Moore St, Liverpool NSW 2170. Phone 1300 899 850
Wahroonga: 212/185 Fox Valley Rd, Wahroonga NSW 2076. Phone (02) 9598 0211
Westmead: Suite 9, Westmead Private Hospital, Cnr Darcy and Mons Road, Westmead NSW 2145. Phone (02) 9633 1349
FAQs About IVF over 40
Yes, it can be done. While fertility does decline with age, IVF treatment and other reproductive technologies can help overcome some of the challenges as the research statistics below show.
Natural conception for over-40s
Women aged 40-41 when they started IVF
(using own eggs – rates may be higher with donor eggs)
| Natural conception for over-40s | Women aged 40–41 when they started IVF (using own eggs – rates may be higher with donor eggs) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cycle | 1 IVF cycle | 2 IVF cycles | 3 IVF cycles | |
| Chance of conception | 5% | 13% | 21% | 25% |
| Increase in success rate | N/A | 2.6 times more successful | 4.2 times more successful | 5 times more successful |
Yes, we have extensive experience here.
Demeter Fertility was the first IVF Unit in Australia to enter into service level agreements with multiple overseas donor banks. Many of our patients use donor eggs or sperm to overcome fertility concerns. That includes single women and same-sex couples.
Ovarian reserve is typically assessed using a blood test (anti-Müllerian Hormone, or AMH) and an ultrasound to count antral follicles.
While success rates may be lower, many women with diminished ovarian reserve still conceive using IVF. For such women, we often recommend our ovarian rejuvenation program to help improve outcomes.
There may be increased risks of miscarriage, gestational diabetes and chromosomal conditions. That can sound scary but you’ll be closely monitored throughout your pregnancy to manage these risks.
Yes. Demeter Fertility runs a dedicated over 40s fertility program in Sydney with no upper age limit. Treatment is offered based on clinical assessment of your ovarian reserve, previous response and overall picture rather than on age alone.
There is no national legal age limit, but individual clinics set their own policies and many decline patients above a certain age. Demeter Fertility applies no age limit and no BMI restriction to assessment or treatment.
Yes. IVF over 42 is offered at Demeter Fertility following assessment. Success rates decline with age and we will give you a frank view of what is realistic in your case before you commit to a cycle.
It is possible but the prospects are considerably more limited, and we will tell you that directly. We will still assess you properly rather than declining on age alone, and we will discuss donor eggs honestly if that becomes the more realistic path.
The program is designed to move fast, because time is the main constraint for patients over 40. Assessment is completed quickly and a plan is put in place rather than testing being spread across months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can women conceive after 40
Yes, it can be done. While fertility does decline with age, IVF treatment and other reproductive technologies can help overcome some of the challenges as the research statistics below show.
Natural conception for over-40s |
Women aged 40-41 when they started IVF (using own eggs – rates may be higher with donor eggs) | |||
Monthly cycle | 1 IVF cycle | 2 IVF cycles | 3 IVF cycles | |
Chance of conception | 13% | 21% | 25% | |
Increase in success rate | N/A | 2.6 times more successful | 4.2 times more successful | 5 times more successful |
What is diminished ovarian reserve?
This term refers to a lower quantity and quality of eggs in the ovaries. It’s a common cause of infertility in women over 40, but treatment options are available.
How is ovarian reserve tested?
Ovarian reserve is typically assessed using a blood test (anti-Müllerian Hormone, or AMH) and an ultrasound to count antral follicles.
Does IVF still work with lower ovarian reserve?
While success rates may be lower, many women with diminished ovarian reserve still conceive using IVF. For such women, we often recommend our ovarian rejuvenation program to help improve outcomes.
What are the risks of conceiving after 40?
There may be increased risks of miscarriage, gestational diabetes and chromosomal conditions. That can sound scary but you’ll be closely monitored throughout your pregnancy to manage these risks.
IVF with ovarian stimulation is generally the quickest and most reliable treatment option, around 10 times more likely on a monthly basis to result in a pregnancy compared to sexual intercourse alone.
Other Standard IVF Treatments:
