Older women comprise an increasing portion of patients entering assisted reproduction programmes. This study is a retrospective summary of the files of all patients aged 40 years and older at advent of IVF, between 1995 and 2004, in the authors' centre. In all, 381 women underwent 1217 initiated treatment cycles. Embryo transfer was performed in 62.6% of initiated cycles. Success rates declined with each year after age 40; pregnancy and delivery rates were 13.9 and 9.1% at age 40 and 2.8 and 0.7% at age 45. There were no deliveries at an older age. Logistic regression analysis showed the following factors were independently and significantly related to higher pregnancy rates: younger age, lower dose of gonadotrophins, greater number of mature follicles, endometrial thickness, and number of embryos transferred; prior pregnancy did not influence success. Retrieving more than four oocytes increased pregnancy rates in all women over 40. Transferring 3 embryos or more increased pregnancy rates in all ages, but reached statistical significance only in women aged 40-41 (P < 0.000). It is concluded that in women between 40 and 41 years of age, ovarian response is a major determinant of success, but not in women older than that. Unrealistic expectations may be avoided if accurate data are provided regarding delivery rates per year after age 40.