Health

40 and Pregnant: How IVF has Helped Women have Children Later in Life

Published

7 years ago

August 17, 2019

As recent reports of a 62 year-old Spanish woman successfully giving birth after IVF treatment began to circulate, following similar reports of 72 year-old Daljinder Kaur giving birth earlier in 2021, prospective parents around the world have a new ray of hope in starting a family.

There is growing consensus spanning medical disciplines that advanced assisted reproductive techniques are able to effectively help women facing infertility or adverse social conditions overcome the obstacles to becoming mothers.

IVF has been a boon in helping couples provide infertility solutions, helping them reproduce. However, the success of a couple at pregnancy calls for the inputs of a healthcare scientist, an embryologist in particular, who plays an imperative role in the entire process.

Providing diagnostic services and embryological procedures, a reproductive embryologist performs careful examination of quality embryos to help couples have the best chance at becoming parents.

Embryo quality is one of the most important factors based on which a women’s pregnancy is defined. Embryo quality correlates with the maternal age, causes of infertility, ovarian stimulation parameters or embryo cohort size, and the outcome of the IVF cycle invariably depends on the above factors.

“As every woman is different, so the quality, gene expression and development of the embryo vary. However, as you age, the embryo quality is bound to deteriorate which increases the chances of infertility of aneuploidy, stating the abnormality of the embryos,” stated Dr. Goral Gandhi, an embryologist who is also a community advocate and educator of IVF and ART in India.

So how can older mothers, who want to opt for IVF or maybe conceive on their own make sure that their embryos are as healthy as possible? The answer lies in embryo testing, as it helps mitigate the chances of an unhealthy pregnancy, ensuring that the fetus is devoid of chromosomal abnormalities before implantation, suggests Dr Goral Gandhi. Her work in research and evaluation of pre-implantation genetic screening technology, and fertility-treatment-assisted pregnancies makes Gandhi an established authority.

“Older women understand their time is limited. If they lose three months because of a miscarriage, that’s a lot of time. Most patients like the idea of having as much information in front of them as possible, so they don’t have to go through the very difficult waiting period between the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test if the embryo wouldn’t have resulted in pregnancy,” says Goldman, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

When it comes to women above 30, it is deemed appropriate to transfer multiple embryos, to boost the overall success of the procedure. The choice is, however, elective and can be best if decided upon the consideration of the embryologist. “Numbers for live birth rates show that older DNA can be rescued by modern IVF, and this offers great hope to women in their 40s who hope to be a mum,” Queensland Fertility Group medical director Dr David Molloy told The Sunday Mail.

Although ART has been used to treat infertility in both men, women of all age brackets, it calls for an extensive evaluation of treatment options by both the patient and the doctor before opting for any procedure.

Your age shouldn’t be a bar to measure your success and ability as a parent, and IVF has helped women exceed their fertility limits, and give birth to healthy babies regardless of their age.

Health

BioLongevity Labs: How Two Biohackers Are Making Longevity Safe for the Mainstream

Published

3 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Michelle Langton

Humans have been looking for ways to extend their lifespan for hundreds of years. Medicine has made impressive strides, but for many, the effects of aging are still painfully real.

Through BioLongevity Labs, biohackers and entrepreneurs Jay Campbell and Josh Felber aim to introduce ordinary people to potentially life-changing compounds called peptides. Campbell and Felber come from very different backgrounds.

Campbell is a five-time international bestselling author and globally recognized leader in the health-optimization space. Felber is a serial entrepreneur who excels at scaling businesses.

For both men, BioLongevity Labs is more than just a business venture — it’s about helping everyday people discover something that just might prolong and improve their lives.

“Your body inevitably changes as the years pile on,” says Campbell. “Your energy drops, and wrinkles start showing up uninvited. Peptides can change everything.”

Many people have probably heard the term “peptide” in passing. Some may know they’re associated with longevity. Most people just don’t have a strong grasp of how they work.

A peptide is a short chain of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Essentially, peptides are like shorter, simpler proteins. That might sound unremarkable, but the real magic of peptides lies in how they work.

They function as signaling or “messenger” molecules telling the body to perform specific functions. Many peptides function similarly to hormones. A relevant example is GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists. This class of medications includes semaglutide and tirzepatide, two wildly popular weight-loss drugs.

“These peptides aren’t just another biohacking fad,” Campbell explains. “They enhance insulin secretion and suppress glucagon release to balance blood sugar levels and promote sustainable weight loss”. But what sets GLP-1 receptor agonists apart is their ability to regulate hunger.

Through the reduction of appetite and increased feelings of fullness, it is far easier for dieters to stick to a calorie deficit.” Although GLP-1 receptor agonists are widely prescribed, most peptides aren’t.

Campbell asserts, because many peptides have the potential to cure illnesses by treating the fundamental root cause, they go against America’s “sick care” model of healthcare. They potentially threaten drug companies and their bottom line.

“Peptides are simultaneously a dream come true for mankind and the worst possible nightmare for the pharmaceutical industry,” says Campbell. “It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s pure economics and psychology in action. People will do whatever it takes to make as much money as possible in a free-market society, even if it means suppressing a superior solution.”

Patients probably aren’t going to be introduced to peptides through the healthcare system. Many discover them on their own. But for the many people who don’t have a solid understanding of how they work molecularly or even what dose to take, there is a risk. That’s precisely what BioLongevity Labs’ co-founders are attempting to address.

Jay Campbell has dedicated his life to educating people about therapeutic peptides and optimized hormones, and along with his partner Josh Felber, they’ve created a company offering filler-free, third-party tested peptides and bioregulators.

Campbell and Felber stress the fact that BioLongevity Labs isn’t meant to be a replacement for traditional medical care. Instead, its products bridge the gap between clinical and extra-clinical care. There’s no magic pill or single solution to solve the problem of aging.

But thanks to the development of specialized peptides, bioregulators, and small molecules, we’re closer than we’ve ever been before.