Is Your Biological Clock Ticking?

What fertility specialists can do to help.

By Jill Case

We’ve all heard it before: talk about women’s biological clocks ticking away. The truth is women do have a biological clock that determines when they are able to get pregnant, but with today’s medical advances, there are more options than ever to help women conceive after their fertility has reached its peak.

Every woman is born with a set number of eggs (approximately one to two million), and the number declines throughout time. Women are at their most fertile in their 20s, and their fertility begins to decline at about age 32, with a sharper decline beginning at about age 35. That being said, about 20 percent of women in the U.S. wait until after age 35 to have their first baby, and about 33 percent of those couples will have some fertility problems.

Don’t be discouraged if you have decided not to have children in your 20s, because there are some proactive steps you can take now to improve your ability to conceive during your 30s and early 40s.

Visit a Doctor for some Bloodwork

For women concerned about their fertility, there is one particular test, the AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) test, that reveals information about a woman’s ovarian reserve, which is the current supply of eggs a woman has. The AMH test is used to measure the amount of AMH in a woman’s blood. This simple blood test can be performed at any time during the menstrual cycle. Women whose AMH levels are in the satisfactory to optimal range can feel confident in putting off conception for oneor more years. (Talk with your doctor about how long you can wait.) Women whose levels are below normal may want to talk to their OB/GYN or fertility specialist about their options.

A fertility specialist may order additional tests to determine your fertility, including blood tests to measure your FSH (follicle-stimulating hormones) and estradiol levels, and a vaginal ultrasound. One option your doctor may discuss with you is freezing your eggs.

Consider Freezing Your Eggs

If, like many women today, you are in your late 20s or early 30s, and you are not ready to have a baby, you may be worried about your ability to get pregnant if you wait. One option is to freeze your eggs so they will be available to help you get pregnant in later years, when you may have fewer eggs available and/or have eggs that are not as healthy.

Elective egg freezing is done much like the first part of an IVF (in- vitro fertilization) cycle. You will receive injections for 10 to 12 days, which will cause your eggs to develop and then mature. During those 10 to 12 days, you will need to see your fertility specialist for blood tests and ultrasounds so your response to the medications can be monitored. When your eggs are mature, you will have a short (15- to 30-minute) outpatient procedure, usually under local anesthetic, to remove the eggs. An embryologist examines your eggs and freezes the viable eggs for later use.

Elective egg freezing is expensive, and it is usually not covered by insurance (except in cases of patients with cancer or women with premature menopause, when insurance may cover the procedure partially or fully), so you will want to talk to a trained fertility specialist before making this decision.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

The best time to harvest eggs is when you are in your 20s to early 30s. It’s not recommended after age 38.
You may not be a good candidate for egg freezing.
Freezing your eggs does not guarantee that you will be able to get pregnant when you are older.
In addition to the initial costs of egg freezing, there is usually an annual storage fee.

Every woman is unique, and the age when she may begin to experience fertility problems can vary. In addition, there are many problems that can cause infertility besides age, so see a fertility specialist or talk to your OB/GYN if you are concerned about your fertility. The field of infertility continues to make advances, and fertility specialists are giving hope to many couples every year.

For more information about infertility, visit here.

For support and information in the Austin area, visit here.

What’s an Egg-Freezing Party?

You may have read or heard about women going to egg-freezing parties. These events are being held throughout the country to educate women about the process of freezing their eggs.

At these informational events, there are usually cocktails and appetizers, along with educational presentations by doctors and sometimes other women who have had their eggs frozen. During the evening, women learn about the cost (and often how to finance it since one cycle averages about $10,000), the procedure and the reasons why they might want to consider freezing their eggs. Sometimes, they even throw in a coupon! It’s not your typical party, but at least you learn something and get to enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres for free.

FAQs About Infertility

When should you consult a doctor about infertility problems?

If you are younger than age 35 and you have been having unprotected sex at regular intervals for one year and have not conceived.

If you are age 35 or older and you have been having unprotected sex at regular intervals for six months and have not conceived.

If you are age 40 or older, you may want to consult with a fertility specialist before trying to conceive.

If you or your partner know you have existing fertility problems.

Why does aging cause fertility problems?

According to womenshealth.gov, aging increases fertility problems because:
Women have fewer eggs left.
A woman’s ovaries become less capable of releasing eggs.
Women’s eggs become less healthy as they age.
Women age 35 and older are more likely to have health problems that may contribute to fertility issues.
Women age 35 and older are at higher risk for miscarriages.

Are there lifestyle issues that may affect fertility?

Yes, there are things you can change in your life to improve your fertility.

Quit smoking. As much as 13 percent of female infertility has been attributed to cigarette smoking. Encourage your partner to quit too. Smoking can affect a man’s sperm count and motility.

Limit alcohol consumption since even moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis may affect your ability to get pregnant.

Try to get to a healthy body weight. Being underweight or severely overweight or obese can create problems. In fact, 12 percent of women’s infertility problems are caused by women being underweight or overweight.

Avoid very strenuous exercise. Instead, switch to more moderate exercise activity.

Infertility Facts

Approximately 11 percent of women of reproductive age in the United States—or about 6.7 million women—either have a problem getting or staying pregnant.
Women and men are affected equally with infertility problems.
Twenty-five percent of couples affected by fertility problems have more than one factor contributing to the problem.
Twenty-five percent of female infertility problems are caused by ovulation problems.
Eighty-five to 90 percent of the time, infertility problems are treated with medication or surgery.
Less than 3 percent of infertility services involve IVF (in-vitro fertilization) or similar treatments.

Facts provided by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.