Does age impact your fertility?

Dr. Shivani Sachdev throws light upon some of the mistaken beliefs about fertility, and the relationship between age and fertility.

 

When people see celebrities like Farah Khan, Naomi Campbell, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Neha Dhupia, Gauri Khan deliver babies in their peri-40s, the general perception created is that age is not a factor in conception and pregnancy and the idea of having your first child before you hit the 30s is just a myth. Age, in fact, is the single most important factor impacting fertility levels.

 

With an increasing number of Indian women getting educated today and becoming a part of the workforce, getting married and planning for a baby often takes a backseat. An increased career orientation, late marriages, and a high rate of divorce and remarriage have pushed up the average age of having a baby.

 

Women must know that there is a biological clock and with advancing age, the ovarian reserves deplete. This means that both the number and quality of eggs reduce and the chances of having anomalies like Downs Syndrome considerably increase in the baby.

 

According to statistical models, the correct age for planning one child is no later than 32 years and for a two-children family is no later than 27 years. If the couple is willing to undergo an intervention like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant, the age of the woman should be 35 years for those planning one child and 31 years for couples planning for two.

 

SOURCE: https://www.hindustantimes.com/brand-stories/does-age-impact-your-fertility-101627185703697.html