Fertility

Is it possible that the old saying "the biological clock is ticking" is true? In fact, there is truth in that adage. Younger women have a better chance of conceiving. There are many reasons for this.

A woman is born with a fixed number of eggs in her ovaries. Even though these eggs may number close to one million, only a few of them are in perfect condition for producing a baby. Unfortunately, once a woman starts menstruation, that group of eggs in her ovaries start dying off. As she grows older, her eggs continue to decrease. Some months, more than one egg is realeased during ovulation raising the chances of pregnancy and even having multiple children but eggs aren't necessarily of ideal quality.

An additional reason why it is more difficult for women to get pregnant as they age is because their egg quality diminishes. Eggs have to be tough to reach fertilization and become a healthy embryo. Egg quality is always best in a woman at a young age and as she grows older, the eggs become weaker.

Egg quality can be measured by a follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test on day three of the menstrual cycle. This is a test which is conducted by a simple blood sample. Levels of 10 or under are normal. Anything over twenty-five is an abnormal level. Doctors say that levels from 10-25 are borderline women that fall within this range might have difficulty conceiving, but it's still a good possibility that they will become pregnant.

Does this mean that women in their early 40's will never get pregnant? That is not always true. A few women in their later childbearing years will achieve a pregnancy and have a healthy baby, but chances are that there will be complications in conceiving. A forty year old woman will generally have more troubles getting pregnant than she did at age 20. Her eggs won't be as tough and healthy and there won't be as many of them. Still, with a doctors care and fertility medications, pregnancy is achievable.

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