Infertility is proportional to a woman's age

• Infertility among couples is a common phenomenon these days
• As a woman ages, her eggs age with her and reduce in quantity and quality
• With an increasing maternal age, the risk of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities also increases

Infertility among couples is a common phenomenon these days. It has been due to many persons—one of the leading reasons is the lack of information given to young people especially women with fertility.

According to Dr Ailoje, a UNICEF certified trained counsellor on reproductive health and sexuality education said that women should be informed about their fertility status at a younger age to circumvent infertility issues when they get older. It has been reported that a woman’s age is the single most important factor responsible for infertility.

The proportion of women with no child increases with increased age at the time of marriage, 6 percent to age 20-24 years, 9 percent at age 25-29 years, 15 percent at age 30-34 years, 30 percent at age 35-39 years, and 64 percent at ages more than 40 years.

As a woman ages, her eggs age with her and reduce in quantity and quality. With an increasing maternal age, the risk of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities also increases. Ageing may lead to other disorders such as tubal disease, uterine fibroids and endometriosis.

Furthermore, the risks of pregnancy complications also increase as a woman’s age progresses.

The recommendations for a couple experiencing infertility issues should undergo an evaluation for infertility after 6 months of attempted conception in women more than 35 years of age.

An infertility evaluation includes tests of ovarian reserve, evaluation of tubal or uterine anatomy and semen analysis. If the results are normal, then empirical treatment is usually undertaken with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Another option for patients with progressing age is the option for egg freezing or elective oocyte.