Age especially affects fertility in women.
Career growth is in full swing, relationships are working, the world has been seen and hobbies have been taken up. Now may be the time to get pregnant!
If the child doesn’t even begin to listen, the frustration can be severe.
– Many people think that life should end before trying to get pregnant, says Hanna Savolainen-Peltonen, senior physician at Hussi’s reproductive medicine unit.
You can’t plan or control everything, especially biology.
In women, fertility is particularly affected by age. The most fertile age for women to become pregnant is 18-25 years. For those over the age of 37, the chances of giving birth drop markedly.
In men the effect of age is not as dramatic. Changes affecting fertility usually begin between the ages of 35 and 45.
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You can’t plan or control everything, especially biology.
A common misconception is that fertility treatment will help you have a baby anyway.
Current fertilization treatments are really effective. Up to 80 percent of those who take the test get their desired child.
– However, the effectiveness of fertility treatments can be underestimated, which can lead to frustration. Fertilization treatments can’t correct the effect of age on the quality of gametes, says Savolainen-Peltonen.
Women’s fertility inevitably begins to decline after the age of 30.
Delay in having children leads to situations where desired children are not born.
According to research, Finns still expect to have two children on average. Photo: Colorbox
can and cannot affect
Besides age, another important factor affecting fertility is being overweight. Adipose tissue secretes hormones, which affect the body’s own hormone regulation.
– The best way to influence your own reproductive health is to avoid being overweight. Being overweight also weakens the results of fertility treatments, says Savolainen-Peltonen.
Avoiding tobacco and drug use is also a good thing for your own fertility. Even four doses of alcohol per week can affect a woman’s fertility.
Healthy lifestyle is good, but moderation is also worthwhile. Excessive exercise, nutritional deficiencies and stress can affect the regulation of hormone activity.
Lifestyle matters, but on the other hand, it can also be expressed like this:
If you are a non-smoker and are of normal weight, your fertility can be affected to a great extent.
problem of delayed childbearing
According to Savolainen-Peltonen, delayed childbirth is becoming an important public health problem in Finland.
According to statistics, the birth rate has fallen. The normal fertility rate in 2022 was 1.32. According to research, Finns still expect to have two children on average.
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If you don’t smoke and are of normal weight, your own fertility may be affected to a great extent.
Fertility rate refers to the expected number of children, i.e., the average number of children a woman will have during her lifetime if the birth rate remains at the level of the measurement year. A number below 1.3 is considered worryingly low.
Another clear trend is that the average age of those giving birth has increased. It’s been 30 years now.
According to the Vastolitto study, reasons for postponing having children include, among other things, the lack of a suitable partner and the fact that a person does not want to give up their lifestyle.
– Postponing the desire to become pregnant to a later age inadvertently increases the risk of infertility and pregnancy complications on the other hand, says Savolainen-Peltanen.
Almost every sixth couple unknowingly faces infertility.
In women, medical causes of infertility are specifically ovulation disorders. In men, infertility is often associated with low sperm quality.
Fertility cannot be predicted accurately. Photo: Colorbox
Do Birth Control Products Work?
A frequently asked question is whether long-term use of contraceptives can affect fertility.
– The reassuring answer is that the use of contraceptives does not affect fertility, assures Savolainen-Peltonen.
One can also wonder whether fertility can be determined by some external factor. Well you can’t.
– Of course, it is good for a woman to be aware of her menstrual cycle, for example. Cycle disturbances may indicate that fertility should be investigated.
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If You Plan Too Much, Is It Ever the Right Time to Buy a Baby?
What about measuring anti-Mullerian hormone? AMH measurement in the blood gives information about the number of eggs.
– It is used to assess its current egg reserve. It cannot be used as a predictor, as it does not tell about the quality of the eggs. Age says something else.
You cannot give anyone an accurate prediction of fertility.
A woman’s age best predicts the onset of natural pregnancy and the outcome of fertilization treatments.
According to the example presented in the British study, it would be best to start having children at age 23 if you want three children.
There has been an increase in the number of fertilization treatments
In HUS, the number of fertilization treatments has increased by about 30 percent over five years.
– I hoped that people would understand that the results of treatment deteriorate with age or if the lifestyle is not in order, Savolainen-Peltanen emphasizes.
Modern technology also cannot correct the decrease in the number of gametes or their quality.
– And if you plan too much, is it ever the right time to buy a baby?
