Age And Fertility
There are many different factors that play into getting fertility treatments. Cost, medical history, current health, location, etc. One very important factor that goes into getting fertility treatments is age.
Women, for example, are most fertile in their early to mid-twenties. Once a woman hits 30 years of age, her fertility begins to decline. Only around 10 percent of women have trouble getting pregnant in their twenties, while around half of all women have trouble getting pregnant once they reach their forties.
Women in their twenties are less likely to need fertility treatments, and doctors are also less likely to recommend them to younger women, choosing to take a “wait and see” approach much of the time instead.
When Age Comes Into Play
Age often comes into play with fertility treatments when you are dealing with an underlying condition. For some younger women, problems like endometriosis, PCOS, or blocked fallopian tubes might keep conceiving naturally from ever being an option.
In cases like these, age really doesn’t matter when it comes to fertility treatments. Likewise, for women who are in their late 30’s to mid-forties and are trying to conceive, doctors are not likely to use the “wait and see” approach.
They know that time is, essentially, running out for these women and many doctors choose to act fast and get started on assisted reproductive techniques like IVF right away. So, if you are older, you might actually be more likely to receive IVF treatment.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to age and fertility, the two are very closely related. While it would be unfair to say that age always plays a role in fertility treatments, the truth is that it does more often than not. Women who are older are more likely to undergo fertility treatments, because they are more likely to be unable to conceive naturally.
However, there are many young women who do have health issues and have to opt for fertility treatments. For most women, age is not a deciding factor when it comes to having fertility treatments. Doctors usually do not like to try them in women who are very young and have no underlying health problems.
Also, many fertility clinics choose not to perform IVF therapies on women who are older than 50 years of age. That is not to say that there are not clinics out there who will perform IVF on older women, but it is not the norm. Needless to say, no matter what the case, age and fertility are always going to be very closely related.