Chance of making embryos at 40 with unknown fertility status?

[BlueWhiteHat]

Have never tried to get pregnant as can’t carry due to disability but we have decided to try surrogacy. Marmite I know. But I’m 40, so is it too late to try and make embryos?
I don’t know if I qualify for NHS but time isn’t on my side. What blood tests to I need to do or just straight to a clinic asap?
If you make embryos and they make it too freezing is that a good sign? That if poor quality die to eggs age then they wouldn’t make it to embryo blast stage?

I would go straight to a clinic and they will do baseline tests to judge your ovarian reserve. That will be the AMH and FSH blood tests and a scan to see the follicles on your ovaries. That gives an indication of how many eggs you might collect with IVF and what dose of medication you’ll need.

It’s a good sign if the embryos become blastocysts but it’s only half the battle as you get older. At 40 I think the average is one out of every four blasts being euploid (i.e. having the correct number of chromosomes) so more than likely you’ll need more than one round to find one. But it’s all individual of course. Some women will have lots of blasts but many will be abnormal and others might only get one or two but get lucky.

Oh and obviously it depends on your partners sperm quality as well!

Thanks! Sorting the bloods this week with a private provider so should have the results by the end of the week whilst I research/contact clinics to speed things up.

I did 2 rounds in my 40s:

Age 40- amh 22
11 eggs collected, 3 made it to blastocyst. Double transfer (4aa and 4bc). The other blast was of too poor quality to freeze. BFN

Age 41- amh 19
10 eggs collected, 2 blastocyst, again a double transfer (4aa and a too early to grade). BFP singleton (now DS).

I had really high Amh for my age, which meant a good egg reserve but it took 4 embryos to have a successful pregnancy which is about right give the euploid stats.

Thankyou @Senorfrijoles I need to learn about the grading.
Hwat type of medication did they give you/for how long before collection?

@BlueWhiteHat I did a short protocol both times. Merifert from CD2, cetrotide added from CD6. Triggered with ovitrelle on CD13, egg collection CD 15. This was the same for both rounds.

Thanks. The egg collection, is that sedation or just a local anaesthetic?

Sedation. It's not a general anaesthetic though.

First step is to get AMH and FSH blood test + a transvaginal ultrasound to count your antral follicles and to see if your uterus is in good condition.

Good luck

@BlueWhiteHat im 40 first cycle produced 4 eggs 3 fertilised had 2 go to day 3 due transfer today at 11:30 if i dont hear before then from the clinic never heard yesterday cause they close sundays so no idea if i still even have 2 or any left for that matter they said if i dont hear this morning continue to come in they opened at 8am this us so nerve wracking but its not impossible i would so go for it if you can

I hope today went as well as it could do @zarascan47

@BlueWhiteHat hey so far so good just trying to take it easy working from home today so that will take my mind off of things feeling very nauseous this morning but trying not to read into every little thing