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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : September 2, 2021 12:31 PM IST
Image credits by: Know Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant At Every Age
One can feel like having a baby at any age. But if you've waited a little longer in life to start a family, you may be concerned you are too old to have a baby. A woman who gets pregnant after 35 is automatically put into the advanced maternal age category. However, successful pregnancy after 35 is still common and achievable. But what about post 40 or 45?
While getting pregnant may be challenging for some after a certain age, some may achieve it without any issues. Many factors play an important role here like current health status and menopause.
There is something called the biological clock that ticks, beginning with your first period and ending with your menopause. As time passes, your egg reserve diminishes, egg quality decreases and hormones change, which in turn, lower your chances of achieving a successful pregnancy.
A woman's fertility depends on the average number of eggs she has at any given age. In general, puberty begins with egg count ranging between 3,00,000 to 5,00,000 and the count drops to around 25,000 at around 37 years of age and continues dropping to 1,000 or fewer by age 51.
However, the likelihood of becoming pregnant organically (without any medical assistance) after a year of trying in less than 30-year-olds is 85%, 30-year-olds is 75%, 35-year-olds is 66% and 40-year-olds is 44%.
Research shows that your chances of getting pregnant are 1 out of 4 despite egg count being more in number and age being 20s or early 30s. Only 1 in 10 women get pregnant with each cycle, once they hit 40. The likelihood of becoming pregnant through assisted reproductive technology (ART) among those younger than 35 years old is 31%, between 35 to 37-year-olds is 24 per cent, 38 to 40-year-olds is 16 per cent, 41 to 42 years olds is 8 per cent and 43-year-olds and older is 3 per cent.
Menopause wherein your menstrual cycle is stopped is usually attained between the late 40s and early 50s with an average age of around 51 years old. So, getting pregnant in your 50s the natural way is entirely possible.
Before menopause, there's a period called perimenopause wherein the menstrual cycles occur irregularly for longer periods. Generally, perimenopause is achieved some time in the mid-40s or sometimes as early as the mid-30s. Pregnancy during this time is possible as eggs are still produced during this time. There were many incidents where much older women achieved pregnancy like a 74-year-old woman giving birth to twin girls in 2019. However, cases like these are a rare exception as they undergo hormone therapy in IVF.
In the majority of cases, women over the age of 45 cannot conceive without the help of IVF and ART procedures.
Pregnancies can be achieved and are being achieved by many women after age 35. However, with an increase in the maternal age, there are certain risks as well which tend to increase for both mother and the baby which include, infertility issues, miscarriages, chromosome issues, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, low birth weight, caesarean delivery etc.
However, one should always consult an expert if you are planning for pregnancy over 35 to discuss the benefits and risks. Some of the questions that you can ask your expert are,
Any pre-existing conditions that might impact the odds of conceiving or delivering a healthy baby
Nevertheless, you can also opt for other routes like IVF with donor eggs, surrogacy, egg freezing, embryo freezing etc.
Usually, in older women, conceiving issues are not due to the uterus but because of the egg where chromosomal abnormalities are at the heart of the problem. However, technologies like pre-implantation genetic testing are helping in developing ways of identifying the potential eggs that can be used in IVF treatments. While technological advancements are making commendable steps in extending the viability of pregnancy, it may not even be possible to keep it going indefinitely.
(The article is contributed by Dr Shilpa Ellur, Consultant Reproductive Medicine, Milann Fertility Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore)
Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.