As we get older, our ovaries also age and the eggs within them decrease in number and in quality. We have a certain finite number of eggs in our ovaries when we are born and as we age we lose those eggs over time. Not only do we lose eggs in number but we lose eggs in quality. We have less eggs in number but also the eggs in our bodies undergo chromosomal changes which makes it less likely over time that a given egg will fertilize and result in a normal healthy pregnancy. There is really very little we can do to alter this from happening. Some people think that if they go on birth control pills and I prevent ovulation from occurring then they wont run out of eggs. But unfortunately, this is not true. You will continue to lose eggs whether or not you ovulate or are on oral contraceptive pills or not. So, you lose eggs by ovulating monthly, but most of the eggs are just lost by atresia -natural cell loss. Also the eggs undergo chromosomal changes so they are less likely to result in a normal healthy pregnancy over time. And this is the most common underlying cause of infertility as women age. Its also the reason that as women age they have a greater chance of becoming pregnant with an embryo that is chromosomally abnormal like trisomy 21 or Downs Syndrome. Of course its important to have a healthy lifestyle and eat organic fresh fruits and veggies and stay away from toxins like cigarette smoking which can actually accelerate egg cell loss from your ovaries. But other than avoiding obvious toxins there is little one can do to affect one’s natural fertility. Too many times, I’ve heard women say well I’m so healthy and I eat well and do yoga etc. so I should have no problems with my fertility as I age. But it’s important to realize that having a healthy body does not necessarily slow down the egg loss rate from one’s eggs or the increase in chromosomal abnormalities in one’s eggs as one ages. If a woman is interested in conceiving, truly the sooner the better and the sooner fertility treatment is sought after the better the results will be. But its also important to think about egg or embryo freezing for fertility preservation so that one can have a greater chance of conceiving in the future if one is not interested in conceiving right now.
