Age and Fertility

Biologically, we are more fertile during a certain timeframe. Right time to conceive begins as we turn 18 and extends into 20s. With early 30s approaching, our reproductive abilities start declining gradually. However, it’s not before reaching the age of 35 when fertility can become a problem. Towards 40s, women are more likely to encounter more difficulties getting pregnant. While the nature signals the best time for pregnancy is reaching 20s, social realities weigh in and 20s just seem not that right for many young moms.

Why Old Age Pregnancy

Today’s women tend to miss fertile 20s as they are busy with starting a career, figuring out an advanced education, or even both. Having a baby in 20s may be very challenging financially, without job security and all. Let’s face it, having a baby requires not only parental love, it also needs sound household budget.

Early pregnancy may be hard on a relationship, too. Younger moms simply don’t have enough life experience to deal with baby-related stresses while fathers may feel alienated as they see their wives suddenly preoccupied with a child. This transition period would take a lot of tolerance to come through and emerge stronger as a family. Unfortunately, many marriages don’t pass the test.

Form this perspective, matured couples would have fewer problems having a baby. They gain more experience with age and are more ready to make sacrifices which parenthood requires. Maturity also matters when it comes down to weathering the trauma of pregnancy and labor. Older women are more likely to be easier with the problem of pregnancy pounds and other post-pregnancy issues.

Pregnancy Complications

But as we proceed with our careers, reproductive time’s ticking away. Now as you’ve crossed the age of 30, it might take a bit harder to conceive. Of course, turning 30 doesn’t mean at all you are getting irretrievably infertile. And the study of the University of Texas at Austin just backs up the assumption. According to scientists, the best time to get on a journey into motherhood is 34. At this point a woman is quite healthy to have a baby and achieves financial stability.

However, beyond this line, pregnancy complications can be piling up. Another study conducted by Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority, UK, showed a steady rise of fertility treatments among women over 35. More and more babies are born as a result of IVF treatment with higher risk of birth defects. So older age pregnancy doesn’t seem like a totally safe haven. Obviously, as we get older, our health weakens. Many women over 35 are very likely to develop diabetes or high blood pressure, making it tougher to carry and deliver a healthy baby.

Pregnancy is a milestone event whatever time it happens. So, what time seems best to you?

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In What Cases Is IVF Used?

When IVF was invented, its role was to aid women suffering from infertility caused by infertile or diseased uterine tubes. However, with new developments, IVF can now treat cases like endometriosis, hostile cervical mucus and other infertility related cases. It has even been tested on male partners with a low sperm count problem; although it has been proved to work, the overall success rate isn’t very high.

How Is IVF Done?

In Vitro Fertilization is carried out with a laparoscope, which is basically a form of telescope that is put inside an anesthetized woman’s abdomen to extract an eggs from the ovary just before they are about to be released naturally by ovulation. Separate sperms are collected from the male partner and then washed and diluted. The extracted eggs and the diluted sperm are then mixed in a glass dish. If fertilization between the egg and the sperm is successful, then the embryo is developed in the lab. After about two or three days, the embryo is placed in the woman’s uterus with the help of a plastic tube.

Possible Side Effects of IVF

IVF does have its boundaries and side effects though. The success rate isn’t 100% and there is a risk of ectopic pregnancy, or extrauterine pregnancy – which is a special case when the embryo is inserted and developed outside the uterine cavity; this is very dangerous because in such cases the uterine tube usually erupts. Furthermore, successful implantation and development doesn’t always end up with childbirth. Miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies are more common through IVF than when you try to conceive the natural way.

How Effective Is IVF?

There is no general trend in the success rate for In Vitro Fertilization. The numbers vary from place to place, so it’s difficult to predict the efficiency. Some figures suggest that for each happy couple who went through a successful IVF procedure, there are a few more couples who didn’t have such luck. With technological advancements, the IVF procedure is becoming more and more streamlined and efficient, but the latest facts from the important IVF centers state the following: 8-10% probability of pregnancy if only one embryo is placed in the woman’s uterine tube; 20% probability for two embryos; 30% for three embryos. Considering the dangers involved, more than three or four embryos are never inserted. Again, it must be noted that pregnancy does not always result in birth, just like in natural conditions.

IVF Gives a Hope

In Vitro Fertilization is a great technological development for the infertility treatment. The whole process requires very high tech equipment along with extremely skilled medical operators. No doctors or medical scientists can make success promises with IVF yet, but we can’t deny the fact that IVF has put a smile on many couples’ faces and is a ray of hope for many others waiting for it to be perfected.

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Chronic Diseases

Remember emergency instructions on the plane telling you to first put an oxygen mask on yourself before putting a mask on a child. If you breathe, you are able to help your child. The same is true about the health of your future baby. Your own health is a priority! Nobody’s going to get pregnant, bear and give birth as well as to provide care for your child for you. Future mother is more important than her future baby, if you think about it.

Don’t disregard any ailments, especially those relating to the reproductive system. Delays in menstrual cycle, painful menstruation, hair growing where it shouldn’t all direct you to a gynecologist’s office. Thinking that the problems will disappear after childbirth is misleading.

Stress and Conception Problems

If you have strained relationships with your parents and colleagues, if you cry yourself blind and can’t forget the love affair that failed like ten years ago, if there are some taboo topics among your family, etc, – give it a thought. Motherhood is a serious matter, and you should make a self-confident decision. It might be helpful to go to a psychologist, alone or with your family.

Is Pregnancy a Challenge?

It often happens that girls who were raised in families where pregnancy was always a challenge expect their own experience to be as frightening and heroic. There are often no hereditary diseases involved, but the anxiety is enough for them to make problems out of nothing. And stresses work just like the Pill. Gynecologists can do nothing to ease your stress. That’s a psychologist’s job.

Eating Healthy

“Starvation” isn’t synonymous with “vegetarianism”. Experienced dieticians create vegetarian diet plans able to provide an adult with all essential proteins, vitamins, fats and microelements. Keeping this kind of diet requires much effort.

Some women think it is ethically wrong to eat food of animal origin because they don’t want to hurt other living creatures. To each it’s own, but your baby needs some amino acids and fats that are found only in fish, meat, milk and eggs. So if you plan to have a baby, decide which of little helpless creatures is more important for you.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking affects fertility both in men and in women. According to studies, smokers are more likely to have less active sperm. The study in Britain involving 17 032 women showed the link between the number of smoked cigarettes and infertility.

Use Birth Control Pills Smartly

Choosing the right time for the baby is crucial. But contraception may put your future fertility at risk as well. So you need to talk to a health specialist about choosing the right birth control pills. For example, women with liver disorders or pancreatic gland problems should avoid oral contraceptives.

Never listen to what your friends are saying about contraception pills. Neither your friends nor a druggist are able to give you’re a professional advice. You should seek a consultation from health specialists. “Emergency contraception” is not a female trick, it is a powerful hormonal blow. Therefore, don’t jeopardize your fertility and learn about all the risks of contraception.

Think if Your “Healthy” Attitude Helps

Are you going to buy only Organic baby food? Are you going to give your baby only filtered water? Are you going to put on your baby only cloth diapers because you think paper ones are toxic? Is this what you are absolutely going to do?

If you confine yourself into the rigid limits, it indicates emotional ill-being. It goes hand in hand with the stress that prevents you from getting pregnant and may harm your future baby.

It goes without saying you don’t have to buy cheap food of suspicious origin. Just keep eating what you’ve always eaten and live your life the way you’ve lived it if you feel good and happy. Why change anything and stir up anxiety? Without anxiety, you body focuses on what it should normally do.

Preventive Care

Focus on your health and visit a hospital for examinations regularly if you are an athlete or work under “abnormal” conditions – you often fly on the plane and change time zones, you contact chemicals (in a lab or printing works), you spend a lot of time on foot, or in heat and sultriness. Don’t neglect injuries and ignore uncomfortable sensations. You may feel the consequences of injuries of the locomotor system or intoxications later when it’s time to be in great shape and bear a child.

Getting Slim

Acute weight changes and nonstop succession of slimming diets and fast-food comebacks is worse than having natural fold of fat on your waist, ample breasts and large hips. Excessive weight is what really can harm you, but not the one that makes it hard for you to fit XS size.

If you’ve ever gained weight rapidly or ever lost many pounds without any efforts and dieting, you absolutely have to tell about it to your gynecologist or endocrinologist.

Don’t be Afraid of Dentists

Neglected focuses of inflammation are a ticking bomb in your body. Most often, the focuses are in our teeth, and we are so afraid of dental treatment that we simply take painkillers to delay the visit to the dentist’s. But for your future baby’s sake, try to understand what is so dreadful about dental treatment and fight your fears.