The Correlation Of Age And Reproductive Health

Women are increasingly choosing to delay having children for various reasons, including career advancement, relationship stability, or personal preference. 20% of women in the US have the first child after age 35. Fertility is inversely related to age for both men and women. Women are born with a set number of eggs, and during monthly ovulation, only one egg is released for fertilization. Egg volume starts to decline even before puberty begins. Furthermore, aged eggs are more prone to chromosomal errors and abnormalities, which can disrupt the pregnancy process or a viable pregnancy altogether. As men age, sperm quantity and quality gradually diminish. The male sex hormone testosterone, which drives sperm production levels, starts to decline at a rate of 1% per year after age 30.

Infertility by the numbers

There are two main types of infertility categories: primary and secondary. Primary infertility occurs when a positive pregnancy fails to occur after one year of unprotected intercourse in a woman less than 35. After age 35, the term identifies primary infertility after 6 months of failure to conceive. Secondary infertility involves the inability to conceive after a previous pregnancy. Infertility rates increase as women get older. In women aged 15-34, infertility rates range from 7.3% to 9.1%. In women ages 35-39, infertility rates increase to 25%. In 35% of couples, infertility affected both partners. The most common conditions causing infertility are ovulatory disorders, endometriosis, tubal blockage, and pelvic adhesions.

The science behind IVF

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) involves procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), embryo cryopreservation, and ovarian stimulation. IVF is a fertility treatment that involves combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory setting to create an embryo. The embryo is then transferred into the uterus during a process known as implantation. IVF-published success rates for women under 35 are around 41.3%, and for women 38-40, 18.2%.

Freezing eggs for future pregnancy

For women who anticipate delaying pregnancy, egg freezing can be a valuable option for preserving eggs and stopping the biological clock. Cryopreservation involves taking medication to stimulate egg production, retrieving the mature eggs under ultrasound guidance similar to IVF, and storing the eggs in liquid nitrogen through a process termed vitrification. This method, of course, requires forethought and planning but provides IVF options for pregnancy with advancing age when pregnancy rates decline. Other options include surrogacy and using IVF to create an embryo from the cryopreserved egg and sperm from the father.

Overcoming age-related infertility with IVF

As men and women age, reproductive capabilities gradually decline. This is primarily a consequence of poor quality and quantity of either eggs or sperm, causing infertility. IVF offers many possibilities for couples and partners trying to start a family. Through traditional IVF methods, cryopreservation, or surrogacy, a fertility specialist or healthcare provider can help navigate goals and IVF options and determine the right course to parenthood.