# Older women and the challenge of IVF

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-documentary-podcast-487670/older-women-and-the-challenge-of-ivf
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-documentary-podcast-487670/older-women-and-the-challenge-of-ivf.md
Podcast: [The Documentary Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-documentary-podcast-487670)
Published: 2026-07-18T00:30:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0nzg954
Audio file: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss-low/proto/http/vpid/p0nzg4yf.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-documentary-podcast-487670/episodes/older-women-and-the-challenge-of-ivf
Duration seconds: 1390

## Resource

Over the past five decades, it is estimated that around 13 million babies have been conceived thanks to IVF. The fertility treatment has helped families around the world have children. But new research suggests that older women face a significantly lower chance of conceiving, even when donor eggs are used from a younger woman. This challenges the idea that donor eggs can “reset” an individual’s reproductive clock. We bring together three women to share their experiences of the physical challenges and heartbreak of unsuccessful IVF treatment. Dee remembers a sense of isolation and Lana experienced not just sadness, but guilt for other people in her life. We also hear from doctors on evolving attitudes to IVF treatment and the options available to fertility patients in their countries.

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## Transcript

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