Motherhood is not unusual for women in their 40s and beyond – a trend recently spotlighted through several well-publicized celebrity post-40 pregnancies.

According to a recent Californian study, births for U.S. born women aged 40 to 44 have increased threefold since 1982. For women over the age of 40, the use of donor eggs not only decreases various risks associated with older childbearing, it significantly increases the chances of successful pregnancy and birth. According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using donor eggs raises the chance for a successful live birth to 51 percent for women over 40.

While many modern-day women delay pregnancy, it is a well-known fact that fertility diminishes with age. The average woman's ability to get pregnant slows just before age 30 and drastically declines after age 40, continuing to diminish each year. In fact, a 2005 study out of Boson (and published in the Journal of Fertility & Sterility) concluded that success rates for women seeking infertility treatment drop close to zero once they reach age 44.

While IVF is a popular option for some, aging or unhealthy eggs can contribute to infertility and also increases the risk for miscarriage, pre-eclampsia and diabetes in addition to incremental rises in Down syndrome and other genetic abnormalities.

As a result, more and more middle-aged women are seeking egg donation to assist pregnancy, a growing trend that contributes significantly to the number of pregnancies in women in their 40s.

Dr. Angie Beltsos, reproductive endocrinologist with the Fertility Centers of Illinois, comments that the use of egg donation is definitely on the rise and becoming increasingly popular as a more reliable and secure fertility option for older women. "We have seen significant increases in donor egg pregnancies over the last few years alone, with continual increases every year," she says.

Other relevant statistics according to the American Society of Reproductive Mediine:

• One-third of women attempting pregnancy over the age of 35 will have trouble getting pregnant.
• Almost one in five women seeking treatment for infertility in the U.S. are over the age of 40.
• Two-thirds will not be able to get pregnant on their own once they are past age 40.

Other relevant statistics according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• A 40-year-old women undergoing assisted reproductive therapy has a 23 percent chance of getting pregnant using her own eggs.
• If conception is successful, she has only a 16 percent chance of carrying the pregnancy through to birth.
• Both rates drop steadily with each one-year increase in age.

For more information, visit www.fcionline.com.