My Fertility Query
Am I Too Old to Get Pregnant?
Age is the single most important factor influencing a woman’s fertility.
- The number of eggs you produce rapidly declines with age
- Also the quality (increased risk of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities).
Stats
For healthy young adults and couples in their 20s and also their early 30s, on average one of every 4 couples should get pregnant in any single month they are planning a pregnancy. But as age progresses, say around 40 years, only around 1 in 10 women will get pregnant. This impact is more seen in the women. In man’s case, fertility does decline but not so much as in women. Say at 40 years, men will reduce their potential by 50% of getting their partner pregnant, as compared to when they were at 20 years.
How age affects Fertility
A woman has her peak reproductive years in her twenties. By the age of 30 years, fertility potential (the ability to get pregnant) goes down or starts to decline. This decline gets sharper as the age progresses, and becomes significant once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely for most women.
Risk of high age
Older women tend to have more health problems as compared with younger women. For example, diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid issues are commonest findings in older people.
With age, eggs divide abnormally affecting genetics too, increasing genetic abnormality. Basically, it means, it is not only difficult to get pregnant, but there is a greater chance of miscarriage, and or giving birth to a baby with a genetic abnormality.
Fertility Assistance
If you are aged 36 to 40, your chances of falling pregnant with IVF is 35%, as compared to 10%, if you were trying to conceive naturally.
Good news: Fertility Physicians, can improve your chances of having a normal child.
Embryo Testing
Both screening and diagnostic testing are offered to all pregnant women. With increasing age, it is strongly advised to to do advanced tests, but indeed these are choices. Always discuss with your Fertility Physician and your obstetrician (ob-gyn) about genetic testing options.
PGT-A and PGT-M Testing is one method of testing embryos before implantation. Embryo Chromosomal problems are one of the most common reasons why IVF is unsuccessful.
Fertility preservation
If you are young, freeze your unfertilized eggs or embryos for use in the future, called egg or embryo freezing. Egg Freezing helps you to freeze your age.
