For Many Women, Increase in Age Equals Decline in Fertility
October 2003 — As a young woman, Jennifer Moore had big goals. She was focused on completing her education and establishing herself in a career before getting married and having children.
"I knew that I wanted children someday, just not until I had achieved my other goals," says Moore, now 36 and recently married. "What I have to consider now is how successful I might be at getting pregnant. Given my age and family history, it could be difficult. I'm 36 years old, which means I have 36-year-old eggs."
Now seeking the help of a reproductive specialist, Moore is part of a growing number of women who are delaying motherhood until later in life — and dealing with new challenges, as a result.
Does Age Affect Fertility?
Women are born with a limited number of eggs, and no new eggs are produced during their lifetime. Over time, the number of a woman's eggs steadily declines while the remaining eggs continue to age.
"Age plays a significant role in the ability of some women to bear a child later in life," says Kenneth Gelman, MD, Infertility and Reproductive Specialist on the medical staff at Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Hospital West. "Egg quality changes over time. The ability of the egg to fertilize and implant diminishes and may result in difficulty getting pregnant later in life."
According to Dr. Gelman, women are most fertile in their early to mid-20s. Women are still fertile into their early 30s; however, by age 33, a small portion of women may experience a reproductive decline. By age 35, there may be further reproductive decline, and conception may be more difficult.
"This is not to say that a 39-year-old woman will not get pregnant," says Dr. Gelman, "Every woman's body may age at a different rate, and some women even at an older age may experience success."
Hope and Options
Regardless of age, women who are unsuccessful in their effort to get pregnant should still have hope. Women over the age of 35, however, should not try for more than three to six months on their own before seeking professional assistance.
"The first step is to speak to a qualified specialist to assess your particular situation," says Dr. Gelman. "The physician will take your age, personal and family history and lifestyle into consideration. He or she will perform an ovarian ultrasound to assess the condition and size of your ovaries and look for the presence of viable eggs. Hormonal studies to determine the viability of a woman's eggs are 65 to 75 percent accurate. And let's not forget that male infertility may be 40 to 50 percent of the equation. Tests can be performed on the male partner to determine his fertility as a contributing factor."
Depending upon the test findings, patients have choices. If a cause is determined, the physician may prescribe a specific treatment. One in five couples, however, will experience unexplained infertility, according to RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association.
"Often, no specific reason for infertility is found. Modern infertility therapy, however, allows women many options," says Dr. Gelman. "In some cases, fertility-enhancing medications may be prescribed. Assisted reproductive procedures, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or egg donors or sperm donors may be used to increase the chances of pregnancy. There are many options, depending upon the circumstances."
If you have concerns regarding fertility, speak to your physician. For referral to a physician, please call the Memorial Healthcare System Physician Referral Service
at (800) 944-DOCS.