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Female Age and Infertility

Advanced female age has become a more prevalent cause of infertility. Egg quality declines measurably in the mid to late thirties and most women will reach perimenopause by age 43. The ages vary considerably in different women and some will experience premature menopause, which can occur much earlier.

Infertility's incidence has increased over the last several years as more and more women choose to delay childbearing. A higher percentage of women are marrying at older ages, many are delaying childbearing until their careers are established, the divorce rate is high and many couples remarry and desire their own children. It is clear that the biological clock is not in sync with these societal changes as a woman’s greatest fertility occurs in her teens and twenties. The rise in the number of women waiting until later in life to have children increases their chances of infertility and remaining childless. Egg freezing is a process that could dramatically help many women wanting to preserve their fertility.

Female age is perhaps the “biggest enemy” to fertility. Before the age of 25 years the majority of chromosomes are normal and abnormalities are seen in only 17% of the eggs. As women age, their menstrual cycles shorten making it more difficult to get pregnant and by the age of 40 approximately 74% of the eggs released are chromosomally abnormal leading to miscarriage and infertility.

Smoking and Infertility

  • Smoking has been shown to increase infertility and we recommend that all patients stop (including the male). Smoking in women has been shown definitely to cause:
  • Decrease in estrogen production
  • Acceleration of egg depletion resulting in earlier menopause
  • Delay in conception
  • Women who smoke cigarettes were three times more likely to experience longer than a year delay in conception
  • Increase risk of miscarriages
  • Increase abnormalities in sperm motility and shape
  • Three fold increase risk of ectopic pregnancy
  • Women who are undergoing In vitro fertilization and smoke have a decrease in the eggs available for fertilization and decrease in pregnancy rate.
  • Smoking decreases the weight of newborn and leads to premature birth.
  • There is an increase incidence of sudden infant death syndrome in smoking households.
  • Women should quit smoking at least two months prior to attempting to conceive.

Age and infertility are directly correlated and age is a common cause of infertility. Women are born with all of the eggs that are needed for a lifetime. Once menstruation begins, an egg (s) is ovulated each month until the menopause. Unfortunately, as women age so do their eggs and fertilization and pregnancy rates decline, sometimes precipitously. Most men remain fertile throughout their adult lives.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) definesinfertility as the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected, regular intercourse. The time is shortened to six months in women over 35 because of the rapid loss of fertility that can occur in this age group. These women should see a reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist as soon as possible.

Many women are delaying childbearing until there careers are established and couples are waiting longer to get married. Unfortunately, the biological clock does not sync with societies clock which is why there has been an increase in women seeking specialty fertility care. Women are most fertile in their teens and early twenties but in today’s society few are prepared to have children at these young ages. As women age infertility increases.

As women age and their eggs begin to loose their ability to fertilize and develop into a healthy fetus, the condition is known as reduced ovarian reserve. After menopause, the condition is known as ovarian failure and menopause can occur at much earlier ages than predicted.

Fortunately, donor egg IVF is available for women who cannot become pregnant using their own eggs due to age related infertility. Donors are healthy, screened, younger women who wish to donate their eggs to help infertile couples. IVF success rates using donor eggs are high being equivalent to the age of the donor. For example, if the eggs from a 22 year old are used in an IVF cycle with a 40 year old, the success rates equal the 22 year old age group. Donors are compensated for their time and efforts

We have a very successful, donor egg program that has helped hundreds of older women conceive. Please contact us if you need more information.