Age and Infertility
From age 30 to 35, the chances of becoming pregnant gradually decline and after age 40 there is a sharp decline. Even if a woman becomes pregnant at a later age, chances of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities, resulting in birth defects such as Down’s Syndrome, increase with age. Assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, also become less successful as age increases.
Although it varies from woman to woman, fertility typically declines during your mid- to late-thirties.
The number of your eggs declines, the likelihood of medical problems such as endometriosis increases, ovulation often becomes irregular, your ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone and your eggs become resistant to fertilization and tend to have more chromosomal abnormalities.
Age And Fertility
If fertility treatment is unsuccessful based on a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve, patients can explore other options besides infertility treatment such as egg donation, adoption, or choosing to live childfree. While these decisions may be difficult, it is comforting to know that there are options available, as well as support to assist you in achieving your goal of building a family.