Fertility after 40

Posted on | April 15, 2012 | No Comments

I’m a little bit uncomfortable even posting about infertility. Understandably, it is a very sensitive subject for many people.  It isn’t something that I have dealt with personally, but I do have friends who have struggled with fertility issues and I’ve seen how frustrating and heartbreaking it can be. Many older women deal with infertility, as lowered quality of eggs and other factors come into play after age 40. The ability to conceive naturally drops dramatically around this time for good reason – There are added risks that go along with becoming pregnant later in life, with most of these pregnancies considered high-risk and monitored carefully. Still, many older women are able to maintain a perfectly healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy child. My own mother started her family ‘late’, with my younger brother born (perfectly healthy and delivered drug-free!) when she was in her early 40′s. There are definitely pros and cons, as there are with having a baby at any age.

There are many options for achieving a healthy pregnancy after 40. If trying naturally is ineffective, IVF may be an option, using either your own frozen eggs or eggs from a donor. Fetal monitoring and testing may be necessary throughout pregnancy as some serious conditions occur more frequently in women of advanced maternal age.

Other options for starting a family when struggling with infertility include using a surrogate, and of course adoption! My dad was adopted as an infant and so was my husband… It is a cause very close to my heart! I have also known the tremendous joy of being pregnant, and it’s something that every woman should be able to experience if she desires. No matter how you make it happen, there is nothing like taking that leap and bringing a new little person into your home.

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