Current statistics show that the median age for becoming pregnant is stabilizing just beyond 31.
And it is that when deciding to have a child, issues such as achieving a certain professional, personal and even emotional stability weigh heavily, which means that the ‘ideal’ moment to have children is delayed for a few more years.
However, as biological age advances, the chances of success in remaining pregnant decrease.
In fact, women in their 40s have only a 13% chance compared to 43% for those who are 30, according to a study by Monash University.
As explained from the , with the passage of time the number of ovules decreases and therefore fertility. But it is not only a problem of quantity, since age also affects the quality of these ovules.
The older the woman is, “the ovules contain more and more chromosomal alterations that make pregnancy difficult, and therefore increase the probability of abortion and/or genetic diseases in the children.”
35 years: the age limit to get pregnant?
“35 should be the age limit to have a child,” says the Dr. Adrià Moreno, from the Fertilab Reproductive Clinic. But this is often not possible.
Despite this, from the age limit established by the specialist, there are some solutions. The woman can receive an early diagnosis if she does not become pregnant during the first 6 months.
In addition, there are reproduction methods that ensure a higher quality during gestation, as well as in the steps prior to the process, studying the different factors that directly affect a pregnancy: age, anatomy, etc.
The success rate of in vitro fertilization with their own eggs in women under 35 years of age is already, in fact, above 60%.
Men also have trouble conceiving after 40
Although the reproductive burden that the pregnancy process entails usually falls, to a large extent, on women, we must not forget that the biological clock also runs for men.
In fact, 1 in 3 cases of reproductive difficulties is due to male problems.
According to data from the fertility clinic Fertilab Barcelonamen’s chances of having a child through in vitro fertilization decrease by approximately 4% each year, and it can take up to five times longer to achieve a pregnancy at age 40 than it would at age 20.
Risks of a pregnancy beyond 40
Nor should we forget the risks that a pregnancy after that age implies for the body of the mother and the baby. Specialists list some as:
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High blood pressure during pregnancy.
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Bleeding and problems with the placenta at the time of delivery.
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Premature birth.
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Low baby weight.
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Diseases.
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We must also take into account the generation gap that separates parents from children and how it directly affects the growth of the baby.
Tips to achieve a pregnancy beyond 40
The importance of planning a future pregnancy, even before starting the process, is something that every woman should carry out when she crosses the 30 line.
In this sense, Dr. Adrià Moreno presents these tips to increase the chances of getting pregnant:
Early diagnostic. Doing a first check-up at age 30 to check your fertility level at that time helps predict how old you can wait.
Put yourself in the hands of a reproductive specialist. Consulting with a gynecology and reproduction specialist before and during the gestation period increases the chances of detecting any inconvenience during the process. And this is valid regardless of the playback method being used.
Healthy habits. This advice is always valid, whatever the age of the mother or father. You have to have a balanced diet and healthy habits. Do not forget that obesity can be a detrimental factor during the process. On the other hand, some supplements such as can be of great help.
Quality before quantity. Currently, there are many alternative methods of parenting. In fact, assisted reproduction treatments ensure greater success with each consecutive IVF cycle, regardless of age.
personalized treatment. From the age of 38, certain methods are recommended to ensure the success and health of the reproductive cycle. We are talking about Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGT), a technique in which a DNA sample is collected from human embryos to select those that meet the most effective characteristics and to detect if there is any type of congenital pathology.