Pregnancy – A dream for every woman who wants to live the graceful experience of womanhood. But sometimes age associated infertility poses a barrier to achieve her dream of motherhood.
Age and Fertility – Facts: Fertility naturally declines as women get older. Age is the single biggest factor affecting a woman’s chance to conceive and have a healthy baby. Generally, fertility begins to turn down in late 20s or early 30s and falls rapidly after the age of 35.
Age works against fertility as
- Irregular periods,
- Age-related changes that occur in the ovaries,
- Decreasing egg quality and
- Quantity of egg-containing follicles (Eggs mature inside of fluid-filled spheres)
The age related decline in fertility is accompanied by
- Significant increase in spontaneous abortions,
- Hypertension & Gestational Diabetes,
- Other pregnancy related complications (caesarean) and
- May be child born with birth defects or genetic abnormalities
How hormone affects Fertility with age Antimullerian hormone (AMH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) are potential markers of women fertility. These hormones reflected the ovarian function and monitoring the fertility.Thus, an elevated FSH and a low AMH level is associated with reduced pregnancy rates, especially in women over the age of 35 years.
Apart from aging there are several other factors that have a negative impact on infertility are
- Partner age
- Certain infections
- Abnormalities in reproductive organ and
- Lifestyle
The Essence of Motherhood Currently, numerous infertility therapies (mainly Assisted Reproductive Technologies –ART) offer many options for women willing to get pregnant after the age of 30. But again infertility treatments are age dependent. With the advanced age i.e. after 40 -43 age, woman’s eggs quality and quantity begins to reduce. In this case, woman’ chance to getting pregnant has been enhanced by donor eggs.
It is important to undergo counselling with infertility specialist and obtains information on appropriate testing and best suited infertility treatment. So, earlier women get started infertility treatment (link to appointment), the greater possibility of success.
References
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine; Age and Fertility; A Guide for Patients Revised 2012
- www.pregnancy .org
- Anti mullerian hormone: a new marker for ovarian functions; 26 sep 2005
- Does AMH And FSH Predict Ovarian Reserve And Chance Of Successful Pregnancy? J of Dental and Medical Sci; Vol 14, Iss 3 Ver. IV (Mar. 2015), PP 46-49
- Int J Fertil Steril, Vol 8, No 4, Jan-Mar 2015
- Advanced Reproductive Age and Fertility; JOGC Nov 2011
- Maternal Fetal Medicine: Practice and Principles. Creasy and Resnick, eds.W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA. 1994:71. Reproduced with permission.
- P.R. Gindoff and R. Jewelewicz. Reproductive potential in the older woman. Fertility and Sterility. 46:989;1986.
- 2000 Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates, National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports. www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/drh/art.htm
FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedIn
