News | Could egg aging be reversed? Scientific breakthrough offers hope for IVF at older ages
For many people undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), brief hope after embryo implantation is repeatedly followed by failure. This emotional roller coaster is especially common over age 35, as egg quality and IVF success decline and repeated attempts remain the main way to improve the odds.
Despite advances including preimplantation genetic testing, egg freezing, and treatments for male infertility, age-related egg quality has remained unresolved.
At Fertility 2026 in Edinburgh, scientists from Germany's Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences reported reversing a common age-related egg defect for the first time, potentially changing IVF prospects for older women.
"Almost nothing currently improves an aging egg, creating a major unmet need," said Agata Zielinska, co-CEO of Ovo Labs and a study participant. "If successful, this would be the first solution to improve egg quality."
Unlike men, who continually produce sperm, women are born with their lifetime supply of eggs, which remain dormant for years. UK data show live birth rates per transferred embryo of 35% below age 35 and 5% at ages 43–44. The egg's biological age, rather than the woman's age alone, is crucial: outcomes with young donor eggs or eggs frozen earlier depend largely on egg age.
"Eggs remain in the body for so long that it has been difficult to determine what goes wrong," said University of Edinburgh fertility researcher Güneş Taylor.
The answer may involve Shugoshin 1, a protein that acts as "glue" holding chromosomes in X-shaped pairs. As eggs age, levels fall, chromosomes loosen, and uneven division at fertilization produces embryos with abnormal chromosome numbers.
Such embryos may initially appear to develop normally but then stop, contributing to repeated apparent success followed by failure.
"Humans are unusual because embryos can develop for a while despite an abnormal chromosome count," Taylor said. "That is why many people endure such a cruel IVF roller coaster."
Microinjecting Shugoshin 1 into eggs almost halved the defect rate, suggesting a window between egg retrieval and fertilization for a one-time intervention to improve quality.
"Our goal is to shorten the time to a successful pregnancy," Zielinska said. "More women may eventually succeed after one IVF attempt."
The work remains experimental. Safety and whether improved egg quality raises live birth rates require rigorous long-term trials. Scientists also urge caution given the history of expensive IVF add-ons being overmarketed.
"We do not want to overpromise," project lead Melina Schuh said.
Researchers nevertheless see an important step toward addressing age-related female infertility. Richard Anderson, head of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Edinburgh, said the technology requires patience until safety and efficacy are confirmed, but its potential is significant.
"Almost everyone knows a friend struggling with IVF," Schuh said. "It is a long, difficult process. I truly hope we can make it less painful and more likely to succeed."
News | Could egg aging be reversed? Scientific breakthrough offers hope for IVF at older ages
News | Could egg aging be reversed? Scientific breakthrough offers hope for IVF at older ages
For many people undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), brief hope after embryo implantation is repeatedly followed by failure. This emotional roller coaster is especially common over age 35, as egg quality and IVF success decline and repeated attempts remain the main way to improve the odds.
Despite advances including preimplantation genetic testing, egg freezing, and treatments for male infertility, age-related egg quality has remained unresolved.
At Fertility 2026 in Edinburgh, scientists from Germany's Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences reported reversing a common age-related egg defect for the first time, potentially changing IVF prospects for older women.
"Almost nothing currently improves an aging egg, creating a major unmet need," said Agata Zielinska, co-CEO of Ovo Labs and a study participant. "If successful, this would be the first solution to improve egg quality."
Unlike men, who continually produce sperm, women are born with their lifetime supply of eggs, which remain dormant for years. UK data show live birth rates per transferred embryo of 35% below age 35 and 5% at ages 43–44. The egg's biological age, rather than the woman's age alone, is crucial: outcomes with young donor eggs or eggs frozen earlier depend largely on egg age.
"Eggs remain in the body for so long that it has been difficult to determine what goes wrong," said University of Edinburgh fertility researcher Güneş Taylor.
The answer may involve Shugoshin 1, a protein that acts as "glue" holding chromosomes in X-shaped pairs. As eggs age, levels fall, chromosomes loosen, and uneven division at fertilization produces embryos with abnormal chromosome numbers.
Such embryos may initially appear to develop normally but then stop, contributing to repeated apparent success followed by failure.
"Humans are unusual because embryos can develop for a while despite an abnormal chromosome count," Taylor said. "That is why many people endure such a cruel IVF roller coaster."
Microinjecting Shugoshin 1 into eggs almost halved the defect rate, suggesting a window between egg retrieval and fertilization for a one-time intervention to improve quality.
"Our goal is to shorten the time to a successful pregnancy," Zielinska said. "More women may eventually succeed after one IVF attempt."
The work remains experimental. Safety and whether improved egg quality raises live birth rates require rigorous long-term trials. Scientists also urge caution given the history of expensive IVF add-ons being overmarketed.
"We do not want to overpromise," project lead Melina Schuh said.
Researchers nevertheless see an important step toward addressing age-related female infertility. Richard Anderson, head of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Edinburgh, said the technology requires patience until safety and efficacy are confirmed, but its potential is significant.
"Almost everyone knows a friend struggling with IVF," Schuh said. "It is a long, difficult process. I truly hope we can make it less painful and more likely to succeed."
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