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Conception

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Original poster

At what point would you consider donor eggs while trying to conceive?

5 replies

HowLongIsTooMuch · 11/04/2026 08:03

Just wondering what others would do in this situation. If you were ttc at 39 how long would you leave it before considering donor eggs? My consultant started mentioning them when I was 42 after 3 years ttc and I’ve just kept trying everything else and I’m wondering should I have considered it sooner ? How long would others start to think about it / do it?

I think I wanted to give myself a chance but now I’m worried have I waited too long and just stressed myself out?

OP posts:
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Fallulah · 10/08/2026 14:41

We finally got pregnant after 4 years of trying last year but the baby didn’t develop and we had a missed miscarriage which was dealt with at around 10 weeks but baby had not really got beyond 7/8. We are both well over 40 and I want to minimise chances of going through that again.

We are going to jump straight to donor egg (and in fact possibly donor embryo or donor sperm as well, because it’s as much an issue with the sperm once the man gets older as it is with the egg) as IVF with own egg at my age has so little success. Just in the research phase now, and have been stuck in the loop of ‘one more month, once more cycle’ like you, but need to get going.

Applewisp · 10/08/2026 14:32

To keep trying OE after 3 years is delusional. Your eggs are getting older and fewer with each passing year.

Original poster
HowLongIsTooMuch · 11/04/2026 15:32

I feel like it’s the logical next step I just up till now kept thinking ‘one more month’ every cycle but did that too much and it’s gone on too long not even a chemical pregnancy in years

OP posts:
GJMJ · 11/04/2026 08:55

Our IVF consultant advised I had zero chance with my own eggs due to early menopause. Dealing with the news of this took me a year to deal with. We did then use donor eggs, it worked first time and I was 40. Everything happens for a reason, and I 100% don’t regret it.

PaperSheet · 11/04/2026 08:47

I decided 42/43 was my cut off for trying naturally. (Also started trying just before 40). I felt once IVF clinics stopped really giving at stats for own eggs it was time to stop. We did have a consultation for donor eggs but in the end decided against it so are now coming to terms with being childless instead. But from all the research I did, I think if you want children and don’t want to be a really older mum, I would say 43/44 is the latest if you’re hoping for natural conception. I do have a friend who used donor eggs at 46 and has a lovely little boy who she gave birth to at 47. With donor eggs you’re not restricted to age so in theory you can give it a few more years. It just depends on how old you want to be having a baby really.