Getting Pregnant After 40
Your odds of getting pregnant after age 40 drop dramatically, compared to your 20s and 30s. Heres what you need to know.
Alison Woodcock wasnt planning on holding off until her 40s to have kids. I just didnt meet the right partner until I was 40, so by the time we were ready to have a baby, I was 41, she says.
The odds were not in her favour. According to OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist Beth Taylor of Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver, only about 50 percent of women age 40 to 43 will be pregnant after a year of trying, compared to 80 percent of women under 40. Your odds are certainly declining at 35, but by 40 they really start to plummet, she says.
Fertility check-upsWoodcock got lucky: she conceived almost right away. But she didnt leave it all to chance. As soon as she was ready to start trying, she made an appointment with her doctor to get a referral to a fertility clinic. We really wanted to do this, and given where I was, age-wise, we knew we didnt have time to waste, says Woodcock. The general recommendation for women over 40 is to start trying and then call your doctor if you dont conceive after three months. The reality, though, is that in Canada most patients have to wait to see their physician, so its not unheard of for people to go to their doctor sooner to get things moving, since most know that time is of the essence, says Taylor.
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Couples Who Don’t Get Pregnant After One Year
What about those who don’t get pregnant after one year? If you’re not pregnant after one year of tryingor after six months if you’re 35 years or olderthen you should see your doctor.
While 10% of couples may not get pregnant after 12 months of trying, half of this group will get pregnant after 36 months of trying. About 4% of couples will try for four years and still not get pregnant. This group of couples is unlikely to ever get pregnant without medical help.
Talk To Your Gynecologist
Before you start trying to get pregnant, visit your gynecologist. Its ideal to schedule a preconception visit three to six months before your planned pregnancy. This gives you enough time to make any health improvements and lifestyle adjustments and complete any testing that may be recommended.
Here is a list of preconception tests a health care provider may suggest:
Your health care provider will also ask about your general lifestyle. They may suggest making a few changes to ensure a healthy pregnancy. This is the perfect time to ask any questions you might have about fertility and getting pregnant.
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Figure Out The Best Time To Conceive
Are you wondering, “When is the best time to get pregnant?” No matter how often you have sex, if you skip the most fertile days of the month, you won’t conceive. “The biggest mistake my patients make is not knowing exactly when they ovulate,” says Dr. Williams.
Most doctors recommend using ovulation predictor kits to measure ovulation. These work by detecting a surge in luteinizing hormone in your urine, which occurs about 36 to 48 hours before you ovulate. OPKs let you plan baby-making sex when you’re the most fertile.
Other ways to track ovulation include charting your basal body temperature, monitoring your cervical mucus, and tracking your menstrual cycle. Learn more about ovulation tracking methods here they can help you get pregnant fast and easy.
Support Your Hormonal Balance
Your whole menstrual cycle relies on good hormonal balance.
You need to support your bodys natural production of your hormones to keep them balanced and functioning well.
The main 3 that we are looking to support are:
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
- Follicle stimulating hormone
It is quite possible that as you age, your changing hormone levels may interfere with conception or maintaining pregnancy.
Herbs that support hormone balance
Also, if your second half of your cycle is less than 12 days, you should look in to adding natural progesterone cream to your routine from ovulation day to the day your period starts.
If you get pregnant, then you should continue to use the cream until you are 13 weeks pregnant.
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Risks Of A Pregnancy Over 40
In 1970 1 out of 100 pregnant moms were over the age of 35, todays it is 1 in 7.
There is some risk involved in being an older mama, but the actual statistics are not as bad as some people make them out to be. Often it is just a 1-2% increase of risk, and the risks are very small to start with.
However, the increase in risk of pregnancies over the age of 40 are real, albeit quite small.
Here are some of the risks that increase with increasing maternal age:
1. Gestational diabetes5. Problems with the placenta 6. Stillbirth7. Cesarean delivery
If your partner is over the age of 40 it can increase the risk of chromosomal disorders as well.
However, most women having babies in their late 30s and early 40s, have perfectly normal pregnancies and babies.
And Pregnant: Five Tips To Make It Happen Naturally
We all go into motherhood at different phases in our lives. Many doctors say that before age 35 is an optimal time for healthy pregnancy, however more and more women are having children later in life due to their careers, or because they simply arent ready. To better understand what its like to be 40 and pregnant, we are sharing a personal essay from author, wellness expert, and mama Aimee Raupp, who recently went through this very experience by following her own wellness practices.
I wrote my second book, Yes, You Can Get Pregnant: Natural Ways To Improve Your Fertility Now & Into Your 40s, when I was 38 years old. However, as my 39th birthday approached, I was single, without children, and very ready to start a family. As loved ones and friends expressed their concern over my situationsingle and almost 40I remained steadfast in knowing that I would find my partner and have children. But Id be lying if I said I didnt have moments where I heard that nagging voice in my head saying, Aimee, your time is running out.
However, I couldnt entirely shield myself from the worry and fear over age, fertility, and risk of miscarriage, premature birth, or other pregnancy complications. Nor could I protect myself from medical doctors with whom I have personal relationships constantly asking me when I was going to freeze my eggs, or when I would finally pull the trigger and get pregnant on my own.
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Record Menstrual Cycle Frequency
A woman who wants to have a baby should monitor whether the first days of her periods tend to occur the same number of days apart every month, which is considered regular. Conversely, her periods may be irregular, meaning her cycle lengths vary from month to month. By tracking this information on a calendar, a woman can better predict when she might be ovulating, which is the time every month when her ovaries will release an egg. There are also some apps that can help with the tracking, such as GlowOvulation period tracker .
A woman’s egg is fertile for only 12 to 24 hours after its release, according to the American Pregnancy Association. However, a man’s sperm can survive in a woman’s body for up to five days.
Track And Chart Your Cycle
If you do not already chart your cycle, you really should begin now.
Women over 40 only have about a 5% chance of conceiving each cycle, if you dont know when your peak fertility days are, you can knock that back to 0%.
You have a 6-day window to get pregnant, with only 2 peak days. Once you know roughly when you ovulate, you can begin trying to conceive 3 days prior to ovulation, the day of ovulation and 2 days after that.
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Take A Prenatal Vitamin
Pavone recommends that women who are attempting to conceive start taking a prenatal vitamin even before becoming pregnant. This way, a woman can find one that’s more agreeable to her system and stay on it during pregnancy, she said.
Another possibility is to take a daily multivitamin, as long as it contains at least 400 micrograms per day of folic acid, a B vitamin that’s important for preventing birth defects in a baby’s brain and spine, Pavone said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges women to take 400 mcg of folic acid every day for at least one month before getting pregnant, to help prevent birth defects.
Getting a head start on folic acid supplementation is a good idea because the neural tube develops into the brain and spine three to four weeks after conception occurs, before many women may realize they’re expecting.
Try To Conceive Again
How long does it take to get pregnant? Data shows that more than half of couples conceive by 6 months, and about 85 percent conceive within one year. If you don’t have a positive pregnancy test this time around, reconsider your efforts. It’s possible that you miscalculated your most fertile days, so your partner’s sperm never had the chance to fertilize your egg. Consider switching to a daily OPK if you haven’t already tried it, and get psyched to try again next month!
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How Long Does It Take To Get Pregnant At 40
At peak fertility , the chance of a fertile couple conceiving in any one month is about 20-25%. After a year of unprotected intercourse, approximately 85-90% of those couples will conceive. This is why OB/GYNs generally recommend fertility testing for couples under 35 who have not become pregnant in one year of trying. By age 35, the chance of a successful natural pregnancy drops to 10-15% per cycle, and by 40, the chances hover around 5%. This does not mean conceiving after 40 is impossible, just that it will likely take longer. Thats why the recommendation for considering fertility testing after 40 is only 6 months.
Are You Too Old To Have A Baby At 40 Or In Your Late 30s
Studies show that womens ovarian reserve goes down significantly after 37 years old, but there are many reasons why you might be trying for a baby at this age. You might be trying for your first baby or you might want to add an additional member to the family.
Sometimes it just cant be planned and isnt within your control it could take a long time to find the right partner, you might have been trying to get pregnant for years with your first or you might be experiencing secondary infertility. Or perhaps you were prioritising your career or didnt see having a baby as something that you wanted to do earlier. Feeling ready to have a baby is a deeply personal choice.
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Stay In Bed Right After Intercourse
You have probably heard this one — lie in bed with your feet in the air after having sex to increase your chances of getting pregnant. The verdict? Not true.
“It’s good advice to lay in bed for 10 to 15 minutes after intercourse, but you don’t need your feet in the air,” Goldfarb says. “Your pelvis does not move when you put your legs in the air.” Don’t go the bathroom during this time either, he says. “If you wait 10 to 15 minutes, the sperm that is going to get into the cervix will be in the cervix.”
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Copyright 2021 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Read copyright and permissions information.
This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women’s health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Read ACOGs complete disclaimer.
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Benefits Of Having A Baby After 40
While having a child when you’re older comes with challenges, there are also some unique benefits to being a parent later in life.
Some possible benefits of having a baby after 40 include:
- You might be more emotionally prepared. Being older does not always equate with maturity, but many people feel more emotionally settled by this point in their life. If you’re in a supported, strong, emotional place, you’ll be better prepared for the ups and downs of pregnancy, birth, and child-rearing.
- You might have more financial stability. After several decades of working, saving, and investing, the cost of raising kids might not feel as overwhelming as it did when you were younger.
- You might be more ready to focus on family. By midlife, you’ve probably checked off a lot of goals, from education and career to travel and forming lasting relationships with others. You may feel free to be more focused on building a family. You might have a home of your own or at least be settled into a community that you care about. If you have a partner, you’re hopefully feeling secure and stable in your relationship and are excited about parenting with them.
Is There Anything Else I Can Do
No matter your age, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to help you get pregnant, like:
- stop smoking
- take folic acid
- follow a healthy diet
You can also get your partner involved. It takes two to make a baby and your partner can also take a few steps to help boost your chances of conception. Keeping fit and healthy, reducing alcohol, and stopping smoking can help him create healthy sperm. He should also wear loose underwear and avoid hot baths: keeping the testes cool can help with sperm quality. And if you use any lubricant, make sure you buy the sperm-friendly variety.
You can see more advice in our article on the top 10 things to help you get pregnant.
Although fertility declines after 35, it is still possible to get pregnant and go on to have a healthy pregnancy. Its important to see your doctor, get the right prenatal care, and know when you ovulate to maximise your chances of getting pregnant after 35 naturally.
There are, of course, other options to getting pregnant like using an egg donor or freezing your eggs. You can also use IVF when a sperm and an egg are combined in a laboratory, and the embryo is frozen and then transferred to your uterus when you are ready. However, fertility treatments depend on many factors like your health and your age when the embryo was frozen. Talk to a fertility specialist and your doctor if you are considering an alternative route like an egg donor or IVF treatment.
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Managing Your Stress Levels
Life is pretty stressful. Especially when you are also trying to have a baby!
Stress increases the levels of cortisol, in the body which inhibits the bodys main sex hormone GnRH and this will result in suppressed ovulation, low sexual activity, hormone balances and even low sperm count.
We offer a free 30 day Creating Calm challenge to help you manage stress in your life. You can grab it here.
Youre Comfortable In Your Relationships
Whether this is work or professional, stable relationships are important. You and your partner have likely been working on your relationship for a bit longer than younger couples. A strong relationship with your employer will also allow you to return to work easier than women who havent had their career as long.
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Fertility Treatments After 40
Research has shown that assisted reproductive technology is less effective after you reach the age of 40, and the rate continues to fall as you get older.
For example, intrauterine insemination success rates can be as low as 5% for women in their 40s. In vitro fertilization has slightly better success rates for older peopleabout 15% per cycle. Still, this rate is not as good as it is for younger people.
The percentage of live births per IVF cycle for women over 40 is only 5.8%.
Egg donation may offer the best chance for someone who wants to get pregnant after the age of 40. In this process, a person can become pregnant using a donated egg that has been inseminated with the sperm of their partner or a donor.
The success rates for IVF using a donor egg can be upwards of 35% in cases of diminished ovarian reserve .
While the success rates are encouraging, using an egg donor means that the person who becomes pregnant won’t have a genetic connection to their child.
The decision to use an egg donor can be difficult to make. Some people will consider the option and decide it’s not the right choice for them.
The process can also be costly. The price tag may prevent some people from using egg donation services to become pregnant.
How To Improve Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant After 40
The good news is that yes, achieving a healthy successful pregnancy as a 40-year-old woman is possible without fertility treatments! But the bad news is that your chances of having trouble conceiving a baby are much higher. Of all women ages 40 to 44, 29% will experience infertility. In comparison, women in their early 20s only experience infertility 7% of the time. Women in their early 30s experience infertility 15% of the time.
As a woman over 40, your chances of pregnancy are lower then when you were younger. A 30-year-old woman has a 20% chance of getting pregnant every month a 40-year-old woman only has a 5% chance of getting pregnant.
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