Raising the Fertility of Older Women
The core issues for most older women are ovarian reserve and egg quality. It’s impossible to increase ovarian reserve, but it is possible to improve egg quality, and better egg quality raises pregnancy rates and reduces miscarriage risk. If this isn’t successful, the option becomes IVF, probably with donor eggs.
To improve the chances of natural pregnancy, both partners must commit to an agreed plan that maximises their chances of success. Not all the couples will get pregnant naturally, but they will be healthier, and if they choose to pursue an IVF option, the process will have improved their chances of success.
Egg Quality
The recruitment process from an immature egg in a primordial follicle to a mature egg at ovulation takes a year. During this time, the egg and follicle grow massively, but very few reach the last stages of growth. The number reaching the later stages of growth reduces with age, partly due to lifestyle factors, the eggs being less “fresh” as they’re older, nutritional issues, and an accumulation of toxins.
The Plan
The plan is to improve what you have by minimising the things that reduce egg quality and maximising the things that enhance it. The advice assumes money and access to tests aren’t issues, although they often are!
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| Diet |
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| Nutrition |
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| Stress |
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| Herbs |
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| Treatments |
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The other crucial factor is your man; his sperm contribute 50% of the baby, plus half of a couple’s infertility is down to the man. Getting him “onboard” will make a huge difference to improving the health of his sperm, of the pregnancy, as age and male fertility explains.
