Understanding Fertility: How Age Affects Your Chances of Conceiving
A deeply personal and mostly complex journey, fertility is an important aspect of human health and well being that varies for each individual and couple. However, the majority of people globally and pan India, are unaware of the factors that affect fertility and the treatment options available for those in need.
In this topic, we will discuss how age plays a crucial role in fertility, affecting millions across the globe. Though, with advancement in modern medicine solutions for people facing conception challenges are available, understanding the age factor and how it affects or influences fertility can help them make informed and timely decisions about family planning.
Fertility Clock in Men
Though men can produce sperm throughout their life, age can significantly impact male fertility. Men after their 40s can see a decline in sperm quality leading to lower motility, increased DNA fragmentation and higher risk of genetic disorders in their children.
Fertility Clock in Women
Every woman is born with around 1-2 millions eggs. This number of eggs generally declines with age. By puberty, women generally are left with 300,000 eggs. With growing age, women’ s eggs generally decrease in quantity and even quality, bringing infertility even closer.
- Women in 20s to Early 30s: Though the eggs reduce with time, this period is considered the most fertile period in a woman’s life. Chances of pregnancy is higher with 25-30% each month.
- Women in Mid 30s: During this period, fertility of women generally declines, mostly after 35, ultimately leading to 15-20% chance of natural conception.
- Women in their 40s: During this period, fertility is significantly low. Natural conception drops to around 5% or even less, and can lead to multiple miscarriages or abnormalities.
Improving Fertility
Improving fertility may require immediate changes in lifestyle habits, medical intervention, and fertility preservation.
- Healthy Lifestyle: For improving fertility, you will require to take a balanced diet, do regular exercise, avoid consumption of tobaccos and alcohol in any form etc. You will also need to reduce intake of processed food while increasing intake of leafy vegetables, nuts, fish etc.
- Medical Intervention: Take fertility evaluations, if you are trying to conceive after 35. Address conditions like PCOS, PCOD, endometriosis, etc. You can also consider fertility treatment options like IVF, IUI etc.
- Fertility Preservation: If you want to delay your pregnancy due to career or education, you can simply preserve sperm or egg with a preservation bank or fertility clinic to conceive at a later age.
Concluding the copy, it is important to note that age plays a vital role in fertility. Though with medical advancement, treatment options are available, one needs to understand and be aware of fertility in order to make informed decisions.