The single most common misperception among women is that they can achieve a pregnancy at any age. It is not true. A woman’s fertility naturally decreases with age and fertility treatment results follow the same lines, down over time, beginning in the early 20’s and dropping more rapidly after 35.
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Certainly there is a biological clock,” says Dr. Rachana Garde of Shady Grove Fertility Center’s Woodbridge and Annadale office, “but I don’t think all young women should feel compelled to have their fertility tested.”
Fertility specialists like Dr. Garde recommend the following general timetable as a guide to when it’s time for testing:
- Women younger than age 35 who have been unable to conceive within a year
- Women older than 35 who haven’t conceived within six months
- Women in their 40’s who are just starting out toward conception
The powerful impact of natural aging on a woman’s fertility is more than just a myth. If a woman has no physical obstacles to conception like hormonal or structural conditions, if she’s in at least relatively good health overall, and if there are no male factor fertility issues her level of fertility will decline from a general peak in the early 20’s to a pronounced downward turn around age 40.
Dr. Garde assures, “Still, most people don’t have fertility issues, so testing of everyone without cause for concern would be wasteful.”
Read more about when you should seek fertility treatment.
More Than Time
In addition to the impact of time, Dr. Garde emphasizes that other factors can compound fertility problems, and many can be discussed with their OB/Gyn or with one of Shady Grove Fertility’s physicians during an initial consultation.
“All current or past medical conditions should be discussed in case any might impact fertility. Irregular cycles are definitely a topic to bring up to your OB/Gyn or fertility doctor.”
Problems with ovulation are a common cause of fertility problems. Women who ovulate regularly usually have menstrual cycles that range from 24 to 34 days. Women who have irregular cycles may ovulate infrequently or not ovulate at all, and only have a period every few months if at all.
Lifestyle activities can also stand in the way of getting pregnant. “We know that cigarette smoking affects egg quality,” Dr. Garde says, “so no matter the woman’s age, we recommend that they quit. Heavy drinking, too, can play a part in a woman’s reproductive capacity, as well as contact with certain environmental toxins such as pesticides, chemicals that can be found in paint or household cleaners and metals such as lead and mercury.”
Body Mass Index (BMI), a calculation of body fat based on height and weight, correlates with some ovulation disorders, so food intake and exercise can have a bearing on fertility. The BMI for achieving pregnancy is between 19 and 25. This is also not age-dependent, although it’s normal for women to generally increase their body weight as they get older.
View our Webcast on Weight, BMI & Infertility
Your Diagnosis May Vary
Variations in diagnostic tests for fertility are based more on individual differences than on age. Dr. Garde explains that the baseline measures of fertility are mostly the same for everyone, regardless of their age.
“We look at reproductive hormone status, whether or not the woman’s tubes are open, and semen analysis for the male partner. There may be additional ovarian reserve tests, such as a clomiphene challenge test, for older women, but again, we’re guided in our diagnostic path by the individual’s responses to tests and to their medical history more so than their age.”
Solutions May Be The Same
Contrary to what the media may have you believe, not every woman who seeks fertility assistance in her 30’s will undergo IVF. Here, too, all other fertility factors are taken into consideration. Many will benefit from intrauterine insemination (IUI) and some will need IVF with donor egg.
Similarly, not all women in their 20’s will respond successfully to IUI. So it’s a generalization to say that as a woman gets older, her need for assisted reproductive technology will become more complex and expensive.
“If a woman has any concerns or worries about getting pregnant,” Dr. Garde reasons, “she should bring it up to her gynecologist, regardless of her age. If her questions go unanswered, or if she simply wants to be sure she’s benefiting from the most recent reproductive knowledge, she can come to Shady Grove Fertility for a consultation.”
Dr. Garde added, “There is no additional cost to see a specialist versus an OB/Gyn, and often, because the practice focus is only on infertility, the diagnosis process may be more rapid. We do whatever is best for each patient. That’s what we’re here for.”
To Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Garde, or any other Shady Grove Fertility physician, please call 1-888-761-1967.
