Does age affect your fertility? | Dr Rama Sofat Hospital

Does age affect your fertility? | Dr Rama Sofat Hospital

The "Biologic Clock" is a collective term that refers to the incessant winding down of the reproductive organs along with the physiologic wear and tear occurring throughout the normal aging process.

Few topics related to infertility arouse so much anxiety and confusion as the effect of aging on fertility and ultimately pregnancy. It is a source of internal stress that can be overwhelming as a woman worries about her "biologic clock", which can sometimes lead to additional medical problems like anxiety and depression as expalined by Dr Rama Sofat. 

What Happens to Reproduction as Women Age?

 Reproduction in humans is very inefficient at best. Even during peak human fertility in the teen years and the 20's, the chance of pregnancy is about 20% per month, assuming a woman has regular ovulation,  with open Fallopian tubes and a partner with normal sperm production. Dysfunction in any of these factors can lead to infertility or may prolong the time needed to become pregnant.

How does Aging Affect Human Eggs (Oocytes)?

One of life's greatest ironies is that just at the right time when a woman is prepared emotionally and personally to begin her family, she may be confronted by the obstacles associated with infertility.


Note that the terms "eggs" and "oocytes " will be used interchangeably in this discussion. At birth, most women (but not all) are born with about 2 million oocytes (eggs) that are stored in their ovaries. Each egg is a microscopic, fluid filled cell lying in a protective capsule called a follicle, which in turn is located within the ovaries as expalined by Dr Rama Sofat. 

THE NATURAL PROCESS OF EGG SELECTION

Only the Strongest Egg Survives

Each month, at the start of a new menstrual cycle, the ovaries initiate recruitment of 40 to 50 eggs from the resting oocyte pool. An elimination process begins such that by ovulation time 14 days later, only the most favorable oocyte is released each month.  

Even with this rigorous selection, an oocyte can still have undetectable abnormalities, which can slip by nature's protective screening mechanisms. These checks and balances help minimize abnormal pregnancies, insuring that only the healthiest embryos can implant.