Fertility after 30 - How Age Affects Fertility

Scientific studies have shown that women who delay first-time pregnancy have decreased fertility after 30. Over the past several decades, we've seen many advances in birth control and the overall status of women in the workplace. Therefore, it's no surprise that more and more young women are choosing to delay pregnancy until later on in life. In fact, some 20% of women are now giving birth to children after the age of 35.



But do these women have the same chance of getting pregnant as young women? Or does a woman's ability to get pregnant decline after a certain age? Get the facts on that so-called "biological clock" and whether time is really running out!



Getting Pregnant After Age 30



Getting pregnant over 30 does not have to become a time of crisis and disappointment. Many couples before you have struggled with this issue and found a solution.



When a girl is born, she is already equipped with all the eggs she will ever use - over 1 million to be exact (although this number declines to about 300,000 after puberty). However as women age, so too do their eggs, causing them to become increasingly susceptible to abnormalities - which is why younger women have less of a chance of giving birth to babies with genetic birth defects, such as Down's Syndrome. They also have a reduced the risk of miscarriage, which is most commonly caused by egg abnormalities.



Women's fertility peaks between the ages of 22 to 26, and often declines after 30: a typical 30 year old woman has 12% of the ovarian reserve she was born with, and has only 3% at age 40. With a rise in women postponing pregnancy,this can create an infertility problem. Of women trying to get pregnant, without using fertility drugs or in vitro fertilization:



At age 30, 75% will get pregnant within one year, and 91% within four years.

At age 35, 66% will get pregnant within one year, and 84% within four years.

At age 40, 44% will get pregnant within one year, and 64% within four years.



Statistically speaking, the chances of pregnancy for women over 30 start to decline by about 3.5% per year. This rate continues to increase after the age of 40. After 45, however, experts say it is virtually impossible for a woman to conceive using exclusively her own eggs.



One possible reason for this lowered rate of fertility is a change in the pituitary gland's production of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) - the hormone that is responsible for the development of eggs during the menstrual cycle. As women age and their ability to become pregnant declines, levels of FSH start to rise, interfering with the ovaries' ability to produce eggs.



To determine whether FSH is impeding a woman's chances of conceiving, her doctor will likely perform a test on the third day of her menstrual cycle to check for levels of FSH. If these levels are consistently high, the patient is determined to have a very slight chance of becoming pregnant.



That's why women over the age of 35 will generally undergo a fertility evaluation if they do not conceive after 6 months of having unprotected sex.





The Good News: The Advantages of Middleaged Motherhood



First and foremost, for women who have decided to wait until later on in life to begin having a family, you have the advantage of having added wisdom, stability and likely even financial security. You've also probably had more time to foster a healthy relationship with your partner that will ensure your child a life of good parenting.



Furthermore, though many women over 35 do not experience trouble conceiving, for those who do, there simply has never been a more promising time for becoming pregnant. With so many recent medical advances in infertility treatments, there are more options than ever available to women of all ages that are having difficulty conceiving. From the more standard medical options to lifestyle modification, alternative therapies, you're sure to find one that's right for you!



Author of the article is an IVF Fertility infertility specialist and runs fertility centre provides the best affordable quality infertility, fertility treatments with advanced reproductive technologies like IVF,ART, GIFT, ZIFT, TET, ICSI, donor egg, surrogate and surrogacy services for all.



For further information on any question relating to IVF treatment, infertility issues, test tube baby clinic, surrogacy treatment, surrogate mother, surrogacy in India or infertility specialist you may contact



Deccan Fertility Clinic & Keyhole Surgery Center

Tel: +91 22 2446 6633

Fax: +91 22 2444 4443

testtubebabyclinic@gmail.com

http://www.testtubebabyclinic.com