Why Age is an Important Factor to Consider in Women’s Fertility

 

Picture this, you are a woman in your early 20’s, busy pursuing your career ambitions. As age beckons, you want to settle down with your life partner and raise a family. Well, better not delay the transition to a marriage and family. Research over time has proven that a woman’s fertility depreciates with age.

How is this so? When women are born, it is common knowledge that they come with all the eggs they will ever have in their lifetime. However, as they age, their eggs also decrease not only in quantity but quality. You want to ensure that you give birth while still young and space your childbirth at reasonable and well-timed intervals.

A woman who delays giving birth increases the chances of not conceiving.  Worse still, is the fact that you increase other pregnancy-related complications such as a miscarriage or delivering via a caesarian section.

On the contrary, you could be a woman of a faith and a firm Christian believer who believes in the Biblical Sarah giving birth to Isaac way beyond her menopause. I do respect your beliefs but allow me to dispel the myth that a woman could give birth at any age.

A woman who starts giving birth at the age of 32 has a lower chance of conceiving compared to a woman who is 30 years or way younger. At the age of 32, there is already a significant but gradual decrease in a woman’s conceiving power. When a woman clocks 35, her fertility is on a downward spiral. By 40 her pregnancy potential will have declined by half.

According to research, a woman at age 30 has a 20% chance of conceiving each month as compared to a woman at age 40 who stands at a 5% conception rate monthly.

Pregnancy and birth risks to consider in older women:

• Older women are most likely to give birth via the caesarian section as compared to younger women.
• Genetic abnormalities and congenital disabilities are high in children born of mothers at an old age.
• A woman at age 40 stands a higher risk of miscarriage than a live birth.
• At the age of 35, a woman is 2.5 times more likely to give a stillbirth as compared to a younger woman. At 40, a woman is five times more likely to experience a stillbirth as compared to a woman at the age of 35.
• Other birth-related complications such as placenta abruption that occurs when the placenta separates itself from the uterus lining. However, this incidence occurs in a significantly low percentage of women.
• Placenta previa is also another congenital disability to consider that could affect women in old age. It occurs when the placenta covers the cervix partially or sometimes completely. This condition is said to affect 1 in 200 women. The situation could be dire for old age mothers.

That said, note that there are some catalysts to this congenital disability in women. It’s more common in women who may have a uterus surgery or gave birth through a caesarian section.

The bottom line

To a woman below 30 years of age, you want to avoid the stress that comes with giving birth beyond the age of 32 years. Giving birth at a young age has numerous benefits. Giving birth at a young age means you are fertile and at a prime age to conceive and give birth to healthy kids.Conversely, to a woman beyond 30, it’s never too late. There are several cases of women who have given birth to healthy children at 30 and beyond. However, you want to make sure that you do not make the situation worse than it is already.