The Biological Clock- Its just 2 little words; but what an impact they can have, based on who you’re saying them to. For instance, a woman who’s in her 20’s will simply smile and move on. Of course, if she is highly career minded, she will probably start giving egg freezing a thought. A woman who’s in her early 30’s might just feel a tinge of fear, but the more obvious feeling may be one of irritation- she just doesn’t want to be reminded of the obvious now, does she?
But any woman who’s in her late 30’s will surely have a certain amount of respect for the stark reality that their Biological Clock presents them with- that’s because it really isn’t a myth. The fact is that for a woman in her 40’s, fertility can seem like an unscalable mountain.
Fertility in Your late 30’s: How the Biological Clock Affects it
Of course there are quite a few 40+ women who conceive naturally (without any specific infertility treatment), but this is not the norm. As a matter of fact, most of the pregnancies that occur in women over 40 are accidental ones which occur in women who have had babies in the past (they must have grown lax with their contraceptive methods) as they presumed that their biological clock had stopped ticking. Your biological clock doesn’t seize up and stop ticking the minute you cross 35, but there is a definite decline in fertility at that age.
Is There a Solution?
There are certain things that can be done to increase your chances of conceiving after 35:
• Map your Cycle- If you haven’t done it already, start mapping your cycle. This will help you establish the days you are ovulating. Apart from rudimentary math and conventional tick-marks on the calendar, there are a number of free apps you can use as well. Check out www.myfertilitydiary.com. It’s important for you to know that sperm stays live for upto 5 days in a woman’s body. Instead of just waiting till you ovulate, begin having sex for a number of days right up to ovulation. This means there will be plenty of sperm there when your egg gets released
• See a Fertility Specialist- Typically, if you have been trying unsuccessfully to have a baby, this is one of the first things you should be doing. The IVF doctor will do a work-up to ensure that neither you nor your partner have any issues that could make natural conception a challenge.
Remember that the sooner we identify issues like low sperm count/poor motility, endometriosis or PCOS, the easier it will be for you to make the right choices about your plan of action.
• Understand More about IVF Success Rates- Conduct a certain amount of research on the different reproductive technologies and their success rates as well as various other statistics related to IVF. This will also help you choose the best clinic and will help you make more sense of exactly which IVF treatment will be more effective in your case (based on your age as well as fertility diagnosis). IVF is quite a complex procedure, can be emotionally stressful as well as financially demanding (since insurance plans don’t cover it).
• Consider the Donor Eggs Option- Its natural for you to want to use your own eggs, but you should also read up on and understand how the donor eggs procedure works. The fact to keep in mind here is that women who opt to use donor eggs will have the same IVF success rate as that of the egg donor. It means that if you are 42 years old and choose to use eggs which have been donated by a 25-year-old woman, your success rate will be as high as a 25-year old – which means we can actually reverse the clock , if you are comfortable with this option.
If you are above the age of 40 and feel that your biological clock is running slowly, please don’t delay in getting a medical opinion.
Need more information? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at www.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinion so that I can guide you better!
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