5 Facts You Didn’t Know About Infertility Over 40

In this day and age it is perfectly acceptable for women to wait longer to have children. Half a century ago, if a woman wasn’t married and having children by the time she was in her twenties, it was taboo. However today, with more women focused on higher education and careers, more and more women are waiting until their 30’s and 40’s to start a family.
If you find yourself in the category of trying to conceive over the age of 40, you probably already know that it comes with its unique set of age-related challenges. Then, if you add infertility to the mix, you may be left feeling deflated. However, if you have been diagnosed with infertility over 40, your dreams of starting a family do not have to stop there.

Infertility Over 40: 5 Things You May Not Know

While there is so much information swimming around the internet about infertility over 40, it is easy to get overwhelmed. At times it is difficult to determine what information is accurate. Below are 5 facts you may find surprising:

1. Perimenopausal Women Can Still Conceive: Perimenopause can last for approximately 10 years and during this time the quality of a woman’s eggs significantly reduce. However, it is still possible to conceive during this time, depending upon where your body is in the perimenopausal process.
2. Your Fitness Level Isn’t as Important as You May Think: Although living a healthy lifestyle can help to boost fertility and aid in regulating ovulation, it does not increase the health of your eggs or the ovarian supply. This means that no matter how healthy you are, at times infertility is still a factor.
3. The Age of Your Partner Matters: Although you hear more about the age of women, the age of the male partner is also important. Recent studies have found that an increased paternal age can lead to a small increase the risk for certain conditions, such as Autism and Schizophrenia.
4. Multiples are More Likely: As a woman ages, her follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) increases. High levels of FSH can cause the release of two or more eggs during ovulation, resulting in multiples.
5. Time is of the Essence: At the age of 30, a woman has a 20% chance of conception any given month. By 40, this monthly chance decreases to 5%. The reason behind this is a steady decline in egg quality as a woman ages.