Why Is It Harder to Get Pregnant for Older Women?

The scientists from the University of St Andrews and Edinburgh University (UK) have managed to explain why women have more difficulties with getting pregnant as they get older. It turns out that by the age of 30 years 90% of women’s ovarian reserve is already exhausted.

Developing ovules continues at the age of 30 and 40, but the stock of potential ovules in the ovaries is almost completely exhausted by this time. And though the body chooses the best cells from the remaining number, their quality deteriorates with age which complicates conception and increases the risk of having an unhealthy baby.

At birth, the girls’ ovaries contain about 300,000 potential cells. However, there can be exceptions: some infant girls have up to 2 million cells in their ovaries, while some others have only 35 thousand. In any case, their number is declining faster than it has been thought before. By the age of 30 years, a woman has on average about 12% of the original stock remaining, and by 40 years, she has only 3%. Thus, many ladies are greatly mistaken when they think that they keep being fertile until they produce ovules.

The researchers believe that their findings will help predict the time of early menopause among women and determine the most favorable period for the removal of ovules from the patients’ cancer-stricken ovaries and their subsequent freezing. The doctors also advise women to undergo regular fertility checks in order to avoid problems with conception.

Source of the image: Photl.