The ability to have children decreases with age in both men and women. Individuals and genders have different times. Fecundity is higher in women under 35. Males under 40 years old are more fertile than older men. The age of both parents determines the likelihood of pregnancy. These findings hold true whether conception is natural or via assisted reproductive technologies like IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization).
The following are some of the factors that influence fertility as we age:
Eggs And Age
It is estimated that every woman is born with up to 1 million eggs. Around 300,000 of these eggs will be left by the time the girl reaches puberty. They lose 70% of their eggs throughout adolescence. The 300,000 eggs steadily drop over the rest of their reproductive life, until they have essentially no eggs by the time they are 50 years old.
In other words, when a woman is 37 years old, she’s trying to ovulate a cell that is 37 years old. Just 36 hours before ovulation, mature eggs undergo a chromosomal division. As a woman ages, she is more likely to have an aberrant chromosomal division. To put it another way, as you age, the quality of your eggs decreases due to a greater number of chromosomal abnormalities.
Sperm And Age
Older men’s sperm may be genetically unsound and potentially harmful to a child’s health. Pregnancy outcomes are affected by the sperm’s ability to mate with an egg. Miscarriages are more common in women who are fathered by older men than in women who are fathered by younger men. Because the sperm manufacturing factory in older men is starting to wear out, this is the reason.
Compared to men under the age of 40, men over the age of 40 are less likely to get pregnant. Because men’s testicles shrink and soften with age, and sperm quality and motility deteriorate.
Birth Risks In Older Parents
Genetic material is damaged as we age, which affects the quality of our eggs and sperm Parents over the age of 50 have a greater risk of passing on birth defects and genetic abnormalities to their children, according to research. Children whose fathers are older than 40 have a somewhat increased chance of mental health issues and autism spectrum disorder than those whose fathers are younger. An estimated 1 in 400 babies born to 30-year-old women and 1 in 100 babies born to 40-year-old women have chromosomal or genetic abnormalities. Miscarriage can also occur if both the mother and father are above 40 years old. Women over the age of 35 have a greater risk of difficulties during pregnancy and childbirth than younger women.
Placenta previa and placental abruption are also more common in older women than in younger women. Eggs are better for younger women than older women, according to all the research. Male fertility declines with age, although younger men have more active and better-quality sperm.
A study comparing women of various ages and sex abilities found that:
Women aged 34-35 had 14% less probability.
Women aged 36-37 have a 17% probability.
Women aged 38-39 had 30% less probability.
Women aged 38-39 had 30% less probability.
Women aged 40-41 had 53% less probability.
Couples wishing to conceive a child later in life have several options, including:
- Retaining sperm and eggs
- Use of donor eggs and sperm for IVF
- Surrogacy
Final Thought.
Pregnancy and a healthy kid are more likely to occur if conception occurs early in a woman’s life. It becomes more difficult to have a child through IVF or ART with the use of sperm and eggs from the couple as they get older We hope this article has answered any questions you may have had about the effect of age infertility. Consult an IVF professional to learn more about the various alternatives available to you to help you attain the joy of becoming a parent. In the end, age has a significant impact on the fertility of both men and women.