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Scientific advances have given us deeper insights into how the human body works, resulting in improvements in overall health, and lifestyle. In the same vein, great strides have been made in reproductive health, which have assisted many people to have better fertility outcomes.
Even with the best science, fertility is confined to nature's rhythm which dictates a decline in fertility as one becomes older. If you desire to build your family, whether naturally or through assisted reproductive technologies, this article will help you understand natural fertility and what your odds are of getting pregnant at different stages of life.
Fertility for Females
Fertility for persons born with a uterus is determined by the number of eggs left in their ovarian reserve. The number of eggs in the ovaries are highest when before a person is born but their reproductive years begin when they start menstruation. As a person gets older, eventually, their ovarian reserve 'runs out’ of eggs, marking the end of their reproductive years.
With each menstrual cycle, the ovarian reserve is gradually reduces by several ‘units’ as it where. This is because, whereas only one egg typically matures and is released during ovulation, each cycle, several follicles which hold immature eggs are released at a go. As one gets into their 30s and 40s,the reserve depletes significantly, each cycle, resulting in lowered estrogen levels and eventually, the end of menstruation.
Modern medicine, through assistive reproductive technologies (ARTs), has made room for people to have a choice on when to become pregnant. This means that while natural fertility may naturally decline as one gets older, the options that ARTs have provided have resulted in a lowered number of pregnancies occurring in teenagehood, and inreased pregnancies occuring in the mid-thirties.
The use of ARTs for family building has increased over the years, with many people relying on it. However, not eveyone can meet the costs of ART, and others prefer to become pregnant natrally. The next section will be addressing fertility by age. Please note that it is meant to serve as a guideline, as each individual is unique and there will always be outliers. The purpose of this guideline is to provide a clearer picture on how age impacts naturally fertility.
Fertility in Your 20s
By the time a person is in their 20s, they have already experienced quite a number of menstrual cycles. As such their chances of conceiving naturally lie between 15 and 25 percent. While this may seem like a low figure, it is the normal range for pregnancies within this decade. This percentage means that there is an 85 percent chance that a person in their 20s can become pregnant naturally within one year of consistent trying.
Fertility in Your Early 30s
The chances of becoming pregnant when is in their 30s is a bit lower. However the statistics are not too grim. At about this age, the likelihood of pregnancy is about 75 percent, these odds are still good. One can expect to become pregnant within a year of trying to conceive.
Fertility in Your Late 30s
In the late 30s there is another significant decline in fertility of about 10 percent. Whereas fertility only declines by 10 percent within the 20s and 30s, the 30s alone have two significant drops. This means that by the end of a person’s 30s, their fertility has dropped by almost double. Whereas this may be the case, a 66 percent chance of pregnancy is still positive.
Fertility in Your Early 40s
Fertility in the early 40s continues to decline steadily such that by this time, a person wanting to become pregnant will have a 44 percent chance of doing so naturally. At this point, many people will begin to turn toward ARTs in order to become pregnant. In one’s 40s, the chances of having a miscarriage are much higher than when one is younger. In a person’s 40s, this likelihood is at 27 percent. From here on out, the chances of becoming pregnant naturally inceasingly and steadily decline.
Fertility in Your Mid-to-Late 40s
If a person is trying to become pregnant naturally in their 40s, they will face a lot of challenges, as pregnany at this age is almost impossible. The reason for this is that the ovarian reserve i significantly depleated by this time, causing a significant drop in the production of estrogen in the body. A more reliable intervention would be required in order to become pregnant, and as such, there is a significant shift toward relying on ARTs for those in their mid to upper 40s.
Fertility for Men
Fertility for men plays out a little differently because of the way sperm is naturally produced in the body. Whereas women have a reserve of eggs, men produce new sperm regularly every so often. This means that men are essentially fertile throughout their lives. The areas of concern with natural fertility for men is that both the quality and quantity decline, as well, they may experience erectile dysfunction. As a result, children produced from the sperm of a man above the age of 40 have higher risks for health problems. While there are interventions that can improve sperm parameters, they may not always be effective as a man becomes older.
To Sum It Up
Fertility is reglated by nature, and even the best interventions succeed within these parameters. As we get on in life, our fertility declines. For women, it leads to complete infertility and for men even with uninhibited fertility, the chances of producing healthy offspring declines. The good news is that with assistive reproductive technologies there is more freedom of choice as to when one can begin building their families. If you want to become pregnant and have concerns related to age, or you simply would like to know what options are available to builld your family, contact us at any of or Virginia Fertility & IVF locations across the counrty.