With fertility options like donor eggs and IVF success rates increasing, more women are having babies later in life— we’re talking getting pregnant after 40.
We asked fertility expert Dr. Ashley Wiltshire of Columbia University Fertility Center what to keep in mind when starting the TTC process after 35, the risks involved, and the measures you can take to increase your chances if you’re thinking about getting pregnant at 40.
ARE YOU SEEING MORE WOMEN HAVING BABIES IN THEIR 40S AND 50S?
Physiologically, it is much more difficult to become pregnant during our 40s and 50s due to diminishing egg quality. With the development of assisted reproductive technology and the option of a donor egg, I do see more women becoming pregnant in their 40s and 50s. Donor eggs have provided a way to circumvent the issue of egg quality.
ARE THERE CERTAIN TESTS TO RUN IF YOU’RE PLANNING TO HAVE A BABY LATER IN LIFE?
Yes, you should consider undergoing ovarian reserve testing (anti-müllerian hormone and antral follicle count, to name a few) to gauge a sense of your current ovarian reserve, as well as discuss with your fertility doctor the option of fertility preservation via egg freezing or embryo banking in preparation for delayed childbearing.
AT WHAT AGE DOES IT START GETTING MORE DIFFICULT TO CONCEIVE?
We see the initial increase in chromosomally abnormal embryos around 35 years old, with a steeper increase around 37 years old.
When Should You Freeze Your Eggs?
We Asked an OBGYN
Turns out, you actually can stop time.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS FOR WOMEN HAVING BABIES LATER IN LIFE?
Advanced maternal age is associated with multiple obstetrical risks including a higher rate of miscarriage, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and C-section.
WHAT ARE SOME MEASURES YOU CAN TAKE TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING PREGNANT AFTER 40?
Fertility preservation via egg freezing or embryo banking provides an ideal method to improve chances of delayed childbearing as the quality of your eggs [and] embryos that are frozen are essentially stuck in time.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ALL WOMEN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GETTING PREGNANT AFTER 40?
I recommend that women over 40 who are experiencing difficulty conceiving should see a fertility specialist right away. This way, we can do a thorough fertility evaluation sooner than later, as well as intervene with treatment, if need be, as soon as possible.
This article appeared in the Summer 2024 Issue of Mini Magazine. Photography by Kimberly Genevieve for Mini Magazine.
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