In the United States, more and more women are choosing to delay starting a family until later in life. According to the Center for Disease Control, more women are delaying birth, bringing the average age up from 21 in 1970, to 25 in 2006. Today, it is not uncommon to see women well into their thirties before starting a family. As more people choose to pursue advanced degrees and establish their careers, having children and starting a family gets pushed back until they feel they are ready. With modern technology, having children later in life is an option that many women have, but as you age, there remains certain risks.
Birth Defects
As women get older, their eggs are more likely to show lowered quality and increased numbers of chromosomal defects, leading to problems like Down Syndrome. The same goes for men as well. Sperm in an older man is more likely to have abnormal morphology as well as lessened movement and quantity. There are ways to test the embryo through IVF. Once the embryo is created a process known as Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) can test if there are any chromosomal abnormalities.
Decreased Fertility / Complications
Studies have shown that after the age of 35 fertility begins to decrease making conceiving a child more difficult as you get older. Along with the higher chance of genetic abnormalities for the child, there are also risks associated with the mother. These risks include a higher chance of miscarriage, high blood pressure or diabetes in pregnancy, and preterm deliveries. Thanks to modern technology, there are treatments that allow women to have children in their late thirties as well as forties and screenings to detect any chromosomal abnormalities.
Financial
Many people postpone starting a family for financial reasons. A child can cost, on average, $14,000 a year or more. As you get older, as stated before, the chances of fertility decreases making the need for fertility treatments a greater possibility. The process of diagnosis and treatment options can run up a high budget putting a financial burden on couples and individuals. Because successful rates decrease with age, more cycles of treatments may be needed increasing costs.
Advances in modern technology allow women the option to start a family later in life. The Fertility Center of Las Vegas offers a number of treatment options to help you start your family or add additional love to your existing one. Contact us to schedule a consultation or to attend a patient education seminar.
