How Aging Affects Fertility And Pregnancy?

Infertility is a distressing issue caused to both men and women as well as their families. The effect of infertility is such that the World Health Organization has recognized it as a global health issue. Not only the people of America but individuals across the globe have been suffering from the condition and day by day, the number of infertility cases has been increasing. Is there anything that you have been doing involuntarily that has been contributing to infertility? 

Since the question is a bit tricky, you must be confused now. Because you must have been amazed by the thought that a person can contribute to his/her own infertility. Well, do not forget the term “involuntary” because they are not adapting to this particular change. It is a natural process and it is called aging. As you age, your fertility decreases and this is a natural phenomenon that we cannot interrupt. 

Have you ever heard of someone who stopped their aging process at 30, because they chose to be young forever? No, isn’t it? This is not at all possible. To the maximum, all you can do is protect your skin from sagging with the help of Botox and fillers, and your body from aging, by incorporating a healthy lifestyle. However, you cannot control the effect aging brings on your reproduction. But men are a little lucky that age conquers women first. In this article, we are going to discuss how aging affects fertility and pregnancy. So read on. 

How Does Aging Affect The Fertility Of Women? 

The ability to procreate is directly related to aging in both genders. But aging affects women ten times faster than men. They are more likely to be infertile before their partner does. Women are in the most fertile stage in their 20s and soon as they reach their 30s, their fertility begins to decline and it becomes completely nill at menopause. This is why we never get to see older women giving birth. 

To a certain extent, women are glad that they are not supposed to get pregnant after menopause, which is around the age of 45-50. Because, if at all they were supposed to get pregnant, then do you think their pregnancy period would be as easy as before? So, imagine how late delivery would impact their health. At birth, a female infant is supposed to have around 5 million primordial follicles, reproductive units of the mammalian ovary, which reduces to 500,000 at menarche. By the time, a woman reaches her late 30s, the count of primordial follicles gets reduced to 25,000 and it diminishes before they reach menopause.

In other words, fecundity starts to decline around their early 30s and it takes a dramatic fall when they reach their late 30s. But if women go through their first pregnancy in their 20s, then most of the concerns will be solved. But they often delay it which causes more trouble. But why are women not giving birth in their 20s?

Why Are Women Not Ready To Conceive In Their 20s?

According to various studies, women must conceive their first during their mid or late 20s. This is because they are said to be more fertile at the age of their 20s and healthwise too they are at their best. At that age, the number of good-quality eggs is higher and their bodies are capable of undergoing multiple contractions at a time, and women who give birth in their 20s are less likely to cause joint pains.

At the age of 25, their odds of conceiving are only 20 percent after trying for 3 months. However, women are not ready to conceive and the international delay in childbearing is increasing day by day. This happens mainly because the women of the current generation are in the ambitious pursuit of careers. It leads to delayed marriages and society is now looking forward to double income and no kids. This might be fun in the beginning, but eventually, the fun disappears and you will be left alone. 

What Causes Infertility When Women Age?

Increasing female age is often associated with gynecological problems due to the changes in their body composition. A few of the major reasons are discussed below. Continue reading to know more.

• Obesity: Women are more likely to be obese as they age and obesity is one of the major causes of infertility. It results in impaired ovarian follicular development, embryo development fertilization, quantitative and qualitative oocyte development, and implantation. 
• Increased abortions: Abortions can be caused dues to various reasons, however, their results are quite similar for everyone. 
• Decrease in the number of eggs: As women, the number of good quality eggs they produce decreases, declining the chance of pregnancy.
• Endometriosis and fibroids: Endometriosis and fibroids are conditions that affect fertility and the chances of women getting them are increases as they age. 

How Does Aging Affect The Fertility Of Men?

Paternal age seems to have gained less attention when compared to the maternity age as spermatogenesis (the process by which spermatozoa are developed from germ cells) is a continuous process. The chances of men aged above 40, impregnating a woman are much reduced, and if at all it happens, either the pregnancy may have major complications like miscarriage or the child may be diagnosed with genetic disorders including Down’s syndrome. It is the damage caused to the sperm DNA that results in such adverse conditions. 

Conclusion 

Age is one of the major factors that contribute to the fertility of individuals. Similar to how a woman is said to conceive in her 20s, men are not recommended to impregnate a woman when he is 40 or above. This is because it affects the health of the baby that is born. Delayed pregnancy also causes health concerns in women. In most cases, it becomes nearly impossible for women to get pregnant after they are a certain age, and the reasons may vary from obesity to fertility conditions like endometriosis and fibroids. Therefore, take special note to keep in mind that age matters when it comes to fertility and pregnancy. 

Also Read Secondary Infertility- Causes, Signs, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options!