Are you looking for a pregnancy and wondering if reproductive age could be a problem in achieving the desired result?
Categorical answers should never be given to anything, but... Yes, a woman's age can affect female fertility (and the masculine, although this is not talked about as much). That is why we talk about the concept of a woman's fertile age, especially when we seek to be a mother naturally after the age of 35, even though we are still young in today's society and can be mothers after 35 or 40 without any complications. medical of any kind.
Social changes and female fertility
At the moment, It is increasingly common to seek pregnancy after thirty. Today's society and the pace of life that most women lead makes thinking about pregnancy before 30 seem like a utopia for many women, even though it is our fertile age par excellence with the best results in ovarian reserve directly related to woman's fertility.
The current reality is that The average age of the first pregnancy in Spain is 31.6 years, while in 1980 it was 25 years and there are increasingly more cycles of assisted reproduction in which the cause is a low ovarian reserve as far as the woman's fertility is concerned.
What has changed in these almost 40 years? Has been social changes, the entry of women into the labor market and complicated salary and conciliation conditions for them to consider getting pregnant before 30. This has led most couples to delay the moment of having children, and the average age of women at first pregnancy has increased. Not only this, but in 2016, more than 30% of births were to mothers aged 35 or older, and almost 7% of women aged 40 or older, which is when they declare they are socially prepared to be a mother. (Source: Spain 2018 Report, Encuentro Foundation).
And then, what is the best age to get pregnant?
This question has different answers depending on who answers it. If it comes up among friends, you will receive a response similar to the following. “From the age of 30 or 32, when you already have a stable life: a permanent and minimally well-paid job, you have already left the apartment shared with students, and your head is firmly settled.”
If the person answering this question is a specialist in gynecology, obstetrics or embryology, they will tell you something very different. The best “biological” age to get pregnant is 25 years old. Some will even give you some hope, and tell you that until the age of 30 It is a good age, especially if there are healthy and regular menstrual cycles.
And what happens if biology doesn't match personal circumstances? What margin is there to get pregnant naturally? What options does reproductive medicine provide?
The (long?) fertile life of women
Nowadays It is difficult to square biology with social circumstances. It seems that the biological clock does not always coincide with the life aspirations of current couples (travel and enjoying life) and working conditions.
It is considered that a woman begins her reproductive life (we speak at a biological level) with the first ovulation and menstruation (on average, at age 12). And the end of this fertile life is usually considered the arrival of menopause (on average, at age 51). But be careful, in general, reproductive potential decreases as women age and fertility normally ends between five and ten years before menopause.
This leaves a window of about 30-35 years. These are usually the fertile years of the woman in which she can socially have children and in which the ovarian reserve is not compromised. Likewise, there must always be general health and healthy menstrual cycles. Keep your gynecological check-ups up to date.
It is estimated that around 45 years old, It is highly unlikely to achieve a successful pregnancy, even through fertility treatment. Getting pregnant with your own eggs is very difficult because there is less and also a lot of eggs. less quality. (link oocyte quality) And an increase in complications in embryonic development, such as Down syndrome, strongly related to the fertile reproductive age of the woman.
What we have to be clear about is that from the age of 30 fertility decreases and from the age of 35 fertility decreases even more and by knowing this, you can organize yourself better whether you are looking naturally or if you want to. preserve your fertility or have clear expectations when we go to an assisted reproduction cycle.
It may interest you:
What fertility statistics say about age
Under normal conditions, a woman can get pregnant after a year of unprotected sexual relations in 75% of cases. When we talk about a 35-year-old woman, the figures already decrease to 66% (always taking into account that there has been a year of unprotected relations). Once the 40-year-old barrier has been crossed, the probability of pregnancy after one year of trying decreases to 44%.
In fact, the average number of couples who go to assisted reproduction centers or fertility centers is around 37 years old. Likewise, it is always good to monitor your ovarian reserve regardless of age by asking your trusted gynecologist during check-ups.
How to get pregnant if you are over 35 years old?
First of all, don't be scared. Statistics are just that, statistics. They should be taken into account, but pregnancy is still possible. To do this, you will have to take good care of yourself (and be taken care of) and take into account some key points:
Pregnancy may take a little longer.
Ovarian reserves decrease with age, so one month you may not ovulate, and there is no possibility of pregnancy, and the eggs are a little more difficult to fertilize. If it takes you more than 6 months to conceive, consider visiting a specialist.
The chances of a multiple pregnancy are higher.
Precisely because ovarian reserves begin to decrease, there are some hormonal changes that can cause you to release two eggs one month. If both are fertilized... voila, multiple pregnancy.
Your lifestyle is important.
Precisely because age does not make it easy, it is interesting that you try to promote pregnancy with everything in your power. Exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet and start taking Prenatal vitamins to promote pregnancy.
Take care of yourself naturally
Try to avoid as much as possible ingredients that are harmful, or that are not proven to be safe. Many cleaning products, and even everyday products such as shampoos, deodorants and cosmetics, include phthalates, parabens and other substances that can be endocrine disruptors and affect reproductive capacity. Therefore, try to be as natural as possible.
Other factors that influence female fertility apart from age
We have seen the importance of age in achieving pregnancy, and some points to keep in mind when you are over 35 years old. But there are other factors that can influence (a lot) fertility. Risk factors that make pregnancy difficult are being smokers (both mother and father), being overweight, eating an unhealthy diet, abusing alcohol or other substances, and being in contact with toxic chemicals or endocrine disruptors, among others.
Remember to take good care of yourself and have a global vision of the search for pregnancy: nutrition, psychology, non-toxic care and everything that can help you conceive is welcome. And if you wonder what is the ideal age for a woman to get pregnant, the answer is when you can and feel that it is your time, trying to enhance your biology and menstrual cycle and respecting your times to be able to be mothers and enjoy this moment.
It may interest you:
