Too Old to Conceive? When is it Too Late?

Written By Lora Shahine, MD

Can you be too old to conceive? What does it really mean when celebrities have babies over 50? And when fertility treatments like IVF, donor eggs, frozen eggs, and embryo transfer make pregnancy possible after menopause, how do we decide when it is safe, ethical, and medically appropriate?

In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine explores one of the biggest and most emotionally loaded questions in reproductive medicine: when is it too late to have a baby? Using the latest 2025 American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines as a starting point, Dr. Shahine breaks down advanced reproductive age, age-related infertility, IVF success with own eggs versus donor eggs, pregnancy after menopause, and the very real health risks that can come with pregnancy over 45 or 50. She also looks at paternal age, sperm health, and why age matters for both partners when building a family.

Listeners will understand that there is no one-size-fits-all answer—only thoughtful counseling, informed consent, and brave conversations about the risks, benefits, and possibilities of family building at an advanced reproductive age.

In this episode you’ll hear:

  • [00:56] Age & Fertility overview

  • [01:41] Record-breaking pregnancy stories

  • [02:37] Why does it get more difficult to get pregnant as we get older?

  • [07:52] Health risks of pregnancy

  • [09:15] Men: reproductive age and health of pregnancy

  • [10:07] Ethical considerations

  • [11:13] 2025 ASRM guidelines

  • [13:42] Next steps

Dr. Shahine’s Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Join the Learn at Pinnacle app to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!

This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

Lora Shahine, MD

Dr. Lora Shahine, reproductive endocrinologist at Pacific NW Fertility and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, completed her residency in OBGYN at the University of California in San Francisco and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Stanford University. She is dedicated to educating and advocating for increased awareness of infertility, miscarriage, and the impact on environmental toxins on health through an active social media presence, teaching, clinical research, and authoring multiple blogs and books including best selling, ‘Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.’

Next

Acupuncture and IVF Success with Hannah Pearn