Quebec women over 40 and hoping to become pregnant may soon be racing against both their biological clock and a clock set by the provincial government.

The province is moving to make it illegal for women over the age of 42 to undergo IVF, or in vitro fertilization.

Under Bill 20, women over 42 would not allowed to undergo IVF -- even if she uses her own eggs that she had frozen when she was younger, or even if she uses eggs donated by someone younger.

The move comes just weeks after the province announced it would drastically scale back its publicly-funded assisted-reproduction services. Under the new rules, only those left infertile by a medical treatment such as chemotherapy would be eligible for free IVF.

The reasons for the IVF age limit aren't clear, but it appears the province is trying to reduce costs to the health care system from older women who attempt pregnancy at an advanced age.

Women over 40 have a higher risk for developing pre-eclampsia – a form of high blood pressure that can develop during pregnancy - compared to women in their 20s and early 30s. They also have a higher risk of delivering by caesarean section.

But the proposed changes are already being met with criticism.

Source: CTV News