When it comes to pregnancy, women can start bearing children once they hit puberty and starts getting their menstrual period to menopause. On average, a woman's reproductive years fall between 12 to 51.
Fertility in women begins to decline once they start getting older and can make it a bit harder for women to conceive. When thinking about starting a family later in your life can increase the chances of pregnancy complications.
According to the experts, the best pregnancy age is between the late 20s and early 30s. This particular age range is linked with great outcomes for the baby and yourself. A study proved that the best age to give birth to the first child is 30.5.
Pregnant in the 20s, 30s & 40s: How Age Affects Pregnancy?
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Even though many say that getting pregnant in your 20s is the best age, there is no "pregnancy age limit" out there. This is because the decision to become pregnant depends greatly on numerous factors, including your readiness to get pregnant and your age.
Just because you're in your 30s or 40s doesn't necessarily mean you can give birth to a healthy child. Here is what happens when you are pregnant in different stages of life:
During the 20s
Women in their 20s are most fertile and have a high chance of getting pregnant. During this particular age, you will have a high amount of best quality eggs available, and the woman age pregnancy risk will be less.
After you turn 25, the odds of conceiving right after 3 months of trying will be under 20%.
During the 30s
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By the time you turn 32, fertility begins to decline, and once you reach 35, that decline starts to accelerate. All women are born with plenty of eggs, which is about 1 million. But as you keep aging, the number of eggs starts to drop. When you reach 37, it has been estimated that you have about 25,000 eggs remaining.
The odds of conceiving at 35 is 12% after 3 months of trying. This female age pregnancy rates can lead to genetic abnormalities and miscarriage. Besides that, you might experience complications during delivery or pregnancy.
Because of this, the physician will suggest extra testing and screening for the baby and yourself. Click here to know what happens when we snooze.
During the 40s
When you reach the age of 40, there will be a steep decline in your ability to get pregnant. The odds of conceiving at 40 is 7% after you try for 3 months. As you get older, the quality and quantity of the eggs begin to decline. Older eggs are said to have high chromosome issues.
This might increase the chances of the child being born with a birth defect. The majority of women in their 40s will "STILL" have a healthy baby and pregnancy. But this is the women's high risk pregnancy age that can lead to the following dangers:
- Stillbirth
- C-section delivery
- Low Birth Weight
- Premature Birth
- Birth Defects
Another way how a woman's age can affect pregnancy is through medical issues. High blood pressure and diabetes are pretty common in women after 35. These problems can cause pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
Once you reach 40 and wish to get pregnant, the physician will conduct some testing and also monitor to check for any possible complications.
Freezing the Eggs
When you're not ready to start a family but you wish to have one in the coming future, it will be much better to freeze your eggs. You can do so during the time of your reproductive years. This process is known as "Oocyte Cryopreservation", which has become pretty popular in this modern world.
During this process, you must take hormones to stimulate egg production. After some of the eggs are removed from your ovary and these unfertilized eggs will be frozen for several years.
Once your all set to use them, the eggs will get thawed and then injected with the sperm so that it can be fertilized properly. Then the embryos will get implanted into your uterus.
At times, freezing the eggs might not guarantee pregnancy, but it will ensure that healthy eggs will be available when you're ready to conceive. This is a much better option than conceiving naturally when you're in your late 30s or 40s. You will not experience any pregnancy complications or medical problems.
Tips on Making Parenthood into Reality
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Many women have questions like "does pregnancy age a woman?" or "will I start to age quickly after getting pregnant?" Well, pregnancy doesn't do that. Ageing and getting pregnant are two different things. But once you get older, the chances of conceiving naturally decrease.
This doesn't mean you "CANNOT" get pregnant. When you have decided to become a parent, you should follow these tips:
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a wonderful and happiest time in a woman's life. It turns the dream of becoming a parent into reality. But on certain occasions, pregnancy might not always be the journey you expected.
It can take a long time to conceive, especially if you have physical problems or start to age. Different ages can have different effects on pregnancy.
It will be much better to speak with a specialist before you think of getting pregnant.