Happening @ ALPHA IVF

Do you know most healthy women who get pregnant after age 35 and even into their 40s have healthy babies? However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't think about smart ways to make sure you and your baby stay as healthy as possible during your pregnancy.

The chances of getting pregnant decline as sharply once you hit 35 as you might have heard. As you age, your number of viable eggs goes down, and this generally starts happening more rapidly once you turn 35. Research has demonstrated that it is often more difficult but not impossible to conceive naturally after a certain age.

Here are some reasons why there is declining pregnancy rate beyond 35 years old;

• Increased Women Educational

Women who have more formal education tend to have fewer children.  In today’s world women who graduate, prefer to delay childbearing as they enter the workforce and find more opportunities for employment. This results in fewer children over their reproductive years. The social empowerment of women has been increasing through education hence the decrease in fertility rates.

• Access to Contraception and Family Planning

Greater access to family planning correlates with lower total fertility rates. This is because family planning helps give women greater control over when to have children, how many children to have, and whether to have children at all. For some areas of the world, the sharpest declines in fertility rates have come from the introduction of safe, reliable access to contraception.

Here are some risk factors for pregnancy after 35 years olds:

• Easy to develop high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Research suggests high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy is more common in older women. You need to carefully monitor your blood pressure and your baby's growth and development. You will need more frequent obstetric appointments and you might need to deliver before your due date to avoid complications.

• C-section.

You tend to have a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications that might lead to a C-section delivery. An example of a complication is a condition in which the placenta blocks the cervix (placenta previa).

• The risk of chromosome abnormalities is higher.

Babies born to older mothers have a higher risk of certain chromosome problems, such as Down syndrome.

• The risk of pregnancy loss and miscarriage is higher.

Research suggests that the decrease in the quality of your eggs, combined with an increased risk of chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, could increase your risk of miscarriage. Ask your health care provider about monitoring your baby's well-being during the last weeks of pregnancy.

Trying To Conceive? Here Are Some Things That You Can Do?

Healthy Lifestyle

Whether you're thinking about getting pregnant or have already been trying, it's never too late to change your lifestyle choices. Starting healthy habits can help to improve your overall health and help to promote fertility in both you and your partner. It helps to put you on the road to parenthood. Here are some things that you can do to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

• Eat right
• Get your vitamins. Make sure to get plenty of folic acid and calcium
• Stay hydrated
• Proper prenatal care
• Don't drink alcohol
• Don't smoke

When should you ask for help?

If you’re over 35 and you’ve been trying to conceive for six months, you may not want to wait that long. In this age group, it's a good idea to seek fertility help after six months of trying without success, you should see a fertility specialist to find out more and what are the solutions available.

What Are The Treatments?

The treatment depends on the cause, so first, you'd want to look into why there's a problem. First, you and your partner need to go for fertility tests, which might include sperm tests, checks for sexually transmitted infections, ultrasound, transvaginal scan, and blood test if needed. There are 3 main types of fertility treatment:

• Surgical procedures.
• Assisted conception – including intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF)

If You Are Pregnant?

The first 8 weeks of your pregnancy are important to your baby's development. Early and regular prenatal care can boost your chances of having a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby. Prenatal care includes screenings, regular exams, pregnancy and childbirth education, and counselling and support. Getting prenatal care also provides extra protection for women over 35. It lets your doctor stay on top of health conditions that are more common among women who are older when they get pregnant. During prenatal visits, the doctor will check your blood pressure, test your urine for protein and sugar, and test your blood glucose levels. That lets them catch and treat problems early.

If you would like to get reassurance about the health of your unborn child, you may do Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) when you are at least 9 weeks pregnant. Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) is a non-invasive blood test that is safe for you and your baby. The test provides information about whether there is a high chance that your baby chromosome condition, such as Down Syndrome. It can provide an indication of your unborn baby's chromosomal condition which can help you decide whether to pursue the pregnancy.

According to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), the rate of fertility treatment success greatly decreases beyond the age of 40. The rate of live births (per egg retrieval) for women between the ages of 35 and 37 is 42%, and 26.6% for women ages 38 to 40. Don't put off seeking help because you think that fertility treatments can make up for the lost time. Fertility treatments become less successful as you age (unless you plan to use donor eggs). So hurry and book your appointment now.