Dr. Jane Miller encourages women to enter their reproductive years with realistic goals for timing conception and starting a family. Knowing your family history and the facts surrounding age and infertility will help you make proactive decisions to optimize your fertility. Today’s advanced reproductive technologies and newer egg freezing techniques provide an effective safety net for women concerned with the proverbial biological clock.
In the womb, a female has approximately 1 million eggs. That number decreases by two-thirds by the onset of puberty. Women of reproductive age average 300,000 eggs, and a pool of a few hundred of these will mature to become the dominant egg during monthly ovulation. Unlike men who continue to produce sperm over their lifetimes, the female reproductive system withdraws these valuable resources each month, but never makes a deposit.
We see a connection between age and infertility because egg health is tied to maternal age. Dr. Miller treats women of all ages, and takes a more proactive approach to fertility treatment when maternal age becomes a factor. She explains how the passing of time affects ovarian reserve and hormonal function:
In her 20s: A woman has a greater store of eggs in her most fertile years, and a greater likelihood of producing genetically sound eggs.
In her 30s: The number of eggs in the ovaries declines by age 35, so experts recommend partnering with a fertility specialist if conception doesn’t occur after 6 months of pregnancy attempts.
In her 40s: A woman has a slim 5 percent chance for conceiving a baby in any given month, and 90 percent of eggs can have chromosomal abnormalities that increase the chances for miscarriage.
We know that maternal age negatively impacts your reproductive health, affecting egg quality and egg quantity, but each woman has mitigating factors that further complicate matters.
Diminished ovarian reserve testing, AMH testing and other fertility blood work, can help Dr. Miller assess your reproductive health and make recommendations for preserving fertility. Our New Jersey fertility center is fortunate to have a sought-after IVF lab director and renowned reproductive endocrinologist leading effective fertility treatment cycles to help women overcome age and infertility.
To overcome barriers to pregnancy caused by maternal age and diminished ovarian reserve, Dr. Miller will offer the following treatment options:
Your decision to consult with a fertility specialist sooner rather than later will give you peace of mind and more options for fertility treatment. Contact us at our New Jersey fertility center to learn more about positive steps you can take to address age and infertility.