Can A 45-Year-Old Woman Have A Baby?

Yes, a 45-year-old woman can have a baby, but natural chances are low and donor-egg IVF offers the highest success with careful medical care.

You’re asking a direct question with big stakes. The short answer is yes, pregnancy at 45 can happen. The longer answer is about odds, health checks, and the safest ways to try. This guide lays out the real-world routes, what to expect at each step, and how to plan a path that fits your body and your goals.

Yes—through natural conception, medical treatments, or third-party options. At 45, egg quality and egg count are usually very low, so natural conception is uncommon. Assisted options—especially using donor eggs—change the outlook. Good prenatal care, preconception screening, and steady management during pregnancy matter for safety. You’ll see those pieces woven through every section below.

Having A Baby At 45: Chances, Risks, And Options

At 45, the chance of pregnancy from your own eggs per month is small. IVF with your own eggs also faces steep odds because few embryos are chromosomally normal at this age. By contrast, IVF using donor eggs often brings success rates that are similar for recipients across ages, because the egg’s age—not the uterus—drives embryo potential. Major medical groups share this view and recommend individualized counseling and screening for anyone pregnant at 35 and older.

Paths To Pregnancy At 45

Every path calls for a different mix of testing, timing, and expectations. The table below gives a quick, broad comparison you can use as a map before you dig into details.

At-A-Glance Options And What To Expect

Path	Typical Chance Per Attempt	Notes
Natural Conception	Very low at 45	Short fertile window; cycle tracking and timed intercourse help timing.
IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)	Low at 45	Needs at least one open tube and ovulation; success hinges on egg quality.
IVF With Own Eggs	Low single digits per cycle	Few euploid embryos at this age; multiple cycles may still yield no transfer.
IVF With Donor Eggs	Often 40–55% per transfer	Embryo potential reflects donor’s age; uterus can carry at 45 after screening.
Donor Embryo	Often similar to donor-egg outcomes	Embryos already created; fewer choices but lower cost than full donor-egg IVF.
Gestational Carrier	N/A for odds; process choice	Used when carrying a pregnancy is unsafe or not possible.
Adoption	Not a medical route	Family-building path outside pregnancy; timelines and costs vary by program.

Why Egg Age Drives The Odds

People are born with a fixed egg supply. By the mid-40s, both egg number and chromosomal quality are usually low, so fewer embryos have the right chromosome count to grow. That’s why the same uterus carrying a donor-egg embryo (from a younger donor) often sees much stronger odds than IVF with one’s own eggs. This is the core reason the path matters so much at 45.

Preconception Checks That Pay Off

Before trying—naturally or with treatment—line up a focused workup. The aim is to catch health issues early and set a safe plan for pregnancy.

Medical Review

Blood Pressure And Heart Health: Screen and treat before conception.
Diabetes Screening: A1C and fasting glucose catch risks early.
Thyroid Panel: Mild thyroid shifts can affect cycles and early pregnancy.
Medications: Review every drug and supplement for pregnancy safety.
Vaccines: Check status per local guidance; update as advised before pregnancy.

Reproductive Testing

Ovarian Reserve Markers: AMH and antral follicle count estimate egg supply. These are not destiny, but they help plan timing and treatment.
Tubal And Uterine Checks: HSG or saline sonogram looks for blockages or polyps that can derail a cycle.
Semen Analysis: A full read on count, motility, and shape guides strategy.

Evidence And Guidance From Trusted Bodies

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists outlines how aging affects fertility and pregnancy outcomes, and stresses individualized care after 35. You can read their plain-language FAQ here: aging affects fertility and pregnancy. For treatment outcomes, the CDC’s ART site explains how to view clinic-level success rates, including donor-egg cycles: ART success rates. These pages help you compare options with data while you plan with your clinician.

Natural Conception At 45: What Helps And What Doesn’t

Natural conception can happen at 45, but it’s uncommon. If you choose to try, stack the deck with tight timing and healthy habits:

Cycle Tracking: Use LH strips or fertility monitors to pinpoint the surge.
Timed Intercourse: Aim for the two days before ovulation and the day of the surge.
Lifestyle Basics: Steady sleep, balanced diet, regular movement, and no tobacco help overall health.
Fast Escalation: If you try naturally, set a short runway (for many, 1–3 cycles) before moving to treatment.

IVF With Your Own Eggs: Pros, Cons, And Realistic Planning

IVF at 45 can be a personal choice, but it often yields few or no embryos, even across multiple stim cycles. If you pursue it:

Expect Low Embryo Yield: Fewer follicles respond, and egg quality limits blastocyst formation.
PGT-A As A Filter: Testing helps select euploid embryos for transfer. It doesn’t create them, but it can prevent added transfers of aneuploid embryos.
Budget And Time: Multiple cycles may be needed to reach one transfer; set a firm stop-point in advance.
Supplements And Add-Ons: Many are marketed; evidence varies. Weigh cost, data, and potential side effects with your specialist.

IVF With Donor Eggs: Why It Changes The Picture

Donor-egg IVF moves the odds because embryo potential reflects the donor’s egg age. Recipients in their 40s often see live-birth rates per transfer that track with the donor’s age group rather than the recipient’s. Screening ensures your uterus is ready and checks that carrying a pregnancy at 45 is safe for you.

Choosing A Donor

Known Vs. Anonymous: Each has legal and emotional layers; clinics can lay out the differences.
Fresh Vs. Frozen Eggs: Fresh cycles may yield more embryos; frozen eggs bring scheduling ease.
Medical Screening: Infectious disease labs and genetic carrier screening are standard.

Donor Embryo And Gestational Carrier

Donor-embryo programs place embryos already created from another patient or donor. Odds are often similar to donor-egg cycles because embryo genetics drive success. A gestational carrier may be considered when carrying a pregnancy isn’t safe or possible; this route adds legal and ethical planning along with medical screening for everyone involved.

Health Risks To Plan For At 45

Pregnancy at 45 carries higher rates of certain conditions compared with younger ages. Your team will watch for these and set a plan early:

Miscarriage: Rates rise with egg age due to chromosomal issues.
Chromosomal Conditions: Screening and diagnostic testing offer early answers.
Hypertensive Disorders: Baseline blood pressure checks and low-dose aspirin may be discussed.
Gestational Diabetes: Early screening and nutrition guidance help keep numbers steady.
Placenta-Related Issues: Closer imaging and third-trimester monitoring are common.
Cesarean Delivery: Rates are higher; planning for labor and delivery reduces surprises.

What To Ask At Your First Visit

Bring questions that turn a wish into a plan:

Based on my labs and history, which path gives me the best chance at a live birth?
How many cycles would you try before changing strategy?
Do you recommend PGT-A in my case? Why?
What screening do you want before pregnancy to lower risk?
What are the financial and time commitments for each path?

Cost, Time, And Emotional Bandwidth

Natural trying costs time and test kits. IUI and IVF add medicines, monitoring, and procedures. Donor cycles add donor fees. Each step also carries an emotional load. Build rest days into the plan, lean on trusted people, and consider counseling with a therapist who knows fertility care. Steady pacing helps you stay the course.

When To Pivot Your Strategy

Set checkpoints. If your own-egg cycles yield no embryos, or repeated transfers bring no progress, a switch to donor eggs or donor embryos may offer a clearer route to a baby. Your team can show your numbers on a screen and translate them into next steps.

Sample Timelines From First Call To Transfer

The next table shows typical timeframes. Your clinic may run faster or slower based on scheduling and testing.

Typical Timeframes By Path

Path	Common Timeline	What Happens
Natural Trying	1–3 cycles before recheck	Cycle tracking, timed intercourse, basic labs; quick pivot if no progress.
IUI	4–6 weeks	Baseline testing, ovulation meds or natural cycle, one-day procedure.
IVF With Own Eggs	6–10 weeks per cycle	Stimulation, retrieval, lab growth, PGT-A if chosen, transfer or freeze.
IVF With Donor Eggs	6–10 weeks once matched	Uterine prep, donor cycle or egg thaw, fertilization, transfer.
Donor Embryo	4–8 weeks after match	Uterine prep and single embryo transfer once screening is complete.
Gestational Carrier	Months	Legal steps, screening, matching, cycle prep, transfer.

Safety Steps During Pregnancy At 45

Once pregnant, you’ll likely see a plan that includes closer monitoring and a few extra tests. Common pieces include:

Early Ultrasound: Confirms location and dating.
Aneuploidy Screening: Cell-free DNA screening or diagnostic testing as advised.
Low-Dose Aspirin: Many are offered this based on risk profile; timing starts in the late first trimester.
Glucose Checks: Early and repeat screening if needed.
Third-Trimester Growth Scans: Tracks growth and placenta position.
Delivery Planning: Talk through timing and place of birth well ahead of due date.

What This Means For You

Can A 45-Year-Old Woman Have A Baby? Yes—many do, through different routes. The smartest move is a plan that matches your test results, your timeline, and your comfort with each path. Some will try a brief stretch naturally, then move fast to donor eggs. Others will try a measured own-egg IVF attempt with a set stop-point. Plenty will head straight to donor options to save time. There isn’t one right way; there is a right way for you.

Your Next Steps

Book a visit for a preconception workup and reproductive testing.
Ask your clinic to show you age-matched outcome data and donor-egg outcomes side by side.
Pick a path and a time limit. Put the plan in writing with clear pivot points.
Line up financial counseling and any legal steps early if you’re using donor eggs, donor embryos, or a carrier.
Set a steady care plan for pregnancy that fits your health profile.

With clear eyes and a solid plan, you can move from question to action. If your goal is a live birth in the near term, donor-egg IVF often offers the strongest odds at 45. If you want to try with your own eggs first, set guardrails and timelines so you keep momentum. Either way, steady medical care and good information keep you in control.

Sources to learn more: guidance on aging and pregnancy from ACOG’s patient education page on how aging affects fertility and pregnancy, and outcome data navigation on the CDC’s ART success rates portal.

Yes, Can A 45-Year-Old Woman Have A Baby? This article shows the routes that make it possible and the care that keeps you safe along the way.