Seeking pregnancy after the age of 40 is one of the most frequent reasons for a fertility consultation. New social dynamics, focused on professional development, enjoying hobbies (such as traveling), or seeking economic resources, have increasingly postponed the desire to have a child, considerably increasing the number of pregnancies at advanced reproductive ages.
While it is possible to carry a pregnancy to term in women over 40, it is important to keep in mind that as time passes, the chances of achieving a pregnancy naturally decrease considerably (ovarian reserve), so it is recommended to consult with a specialist to review what is the best way to make the desire to have a child a reality.
What should be analyzed in a couple at advanced reproductive ages?
When a couple or woman consults to analyze the possibility of having a child at advanced reproductive ages (after 38 years), some of the medical conditions that are analyzed are:
- Hormonal factor: the functioning of the endocrine system and the ovarian reserve in women are reviewed through studies.
- History of diseases: the patient’s medical history is studied to review if there are or were diagnoses that may directly affect fertility (such as endometriosis, menstrual disorders, or pelvic diseases/surgeries).
- Evaluation of the reproductive system (fallopian tubes, uterus, ovaries): the functionality of the organs related to fertility is reviewed by means of ultrasounds or examinations.
- Fertilizing capacity of the couple’s semen: it is analyzed if the man presents any ejaculation disorder or any alteration in the quality/quantity of the semen.
Why does the possibility of achieving a natural pregnancy decrease at advanced ages?
The ovarian reserve is one of the factors that most alters fertility in a woman, because as time passes, the eggs age and their quality decreases.
If a woman does not have eggs suitable for her fertilization process, the chances of pregnancy may decrease depending on her condition, thus needing the support of reproductive treatments.
At this point it is important to know that the woman only produces eggs once in her life, and from the first menstruation she begins to release these eggs during each cycle, resulting in her egg reserve being lower as the years go by.
For his part, the man may also have ejaculation problems or semen quality, therefore it is important to consult as a couple to determine how both the female and male reproductive systems are.
*Low ovarian reserve is one of the main causes of infertility in women of advanced age, however, there are multiple diagnoses that must be analyzed by a specialist (genetic diseases, obstruction in organs, etc.)
What possibilities in reproductive treatments exist for couples at advanced ages?
If after carrying out all the respective studies, the specialist determines that the patients require the support of an assisted reproduction treatment to achieve a pregnancy, some of the paths to follow (according to the diagnosis) are:
- In Vitro Fertilization: treatment that allows the union of the egg with the sperm in the laboratory, in order to obtain embryos that could later be transferred to the future mother. This procedure can increase the chances of pregnancy in the couple.
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- Ovodonation (egg donation): when a woman has lost her ovaries due to diseases, is in menopause or no longer has suitable eggs (in quantity or quality) to achieve a pregnancy, there is the possibility of performing an In Vitro Fertilization with donated eggs and semen from the couple. With this treatment option, the donated egg is fertilized in the laboratory to be subsequently transferred to the receiving mother.
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The most important thing when making the decision to seek pregnancy at advanced reproductive ages (after 38 years), is to recognize that there is an underlying condition that could affect fertility and that it is necessary to consult with a specialist as soon as possible to make the best decisions regarding the healthiest way to have a child.
If you want to know more about this diagnosis, we invite you to listen to the following PODCAST:
