International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Women over the age of 40 who are struggling to get pregnant have been advised to consider a fertility treatment that sees embryos placed directly into the fallopian tube.

John Jain of Santa Monica Fertility Specialists highlighted the potential benefits of Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (Zift) as an alternative to in-vitro fertilisation.

Speaking at a meeting of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society, he explained that patients aged 40 and above are enjoying a 50 per cent pregnancy rate.

"With so many women choosing to postpone motherhood, the Zift procedure is offering newfound hope," said the specialist. "Cases like Celine Dion's where more mature women are looking to get pregnant are becoming increasingly popular."

According to Mr Jain, placing embryos into the fallopian tube allows them to develop in a more natural environment, as IVF typically sees fertilisation take place in a laboratory before transfer to the uterus.

Last week, researchers from Imperial College London suggested that injecting women with the hormone kisspeptin could improve fertility.

Posted by Martine Ward