Many women are delaying motherhood to pursue higher education, reach career goals, or become more financially stable. The average age of first-time mothers has increased steadily over the past two decades.
If you’ve reached your thirties and are still contemplating the right time to start a family, you’re not alone. And luckily, advancements in fertility treatments and technology have made it possible to preserve your fertility and have children later in life. But, it still requires some planning – and some understanding of how your fertility changes throughout your life.
How does your fertility change throughout your life?
You’re born with all the eggs you’ll ever have in your lifetime, and unfortunately, there’s no way to increase egg quantity. So, the focus switches to egg quality. Let’s talk about it.
Egg quality refers to whether an egg is genetically healthy, and the likelihood that it will result in a healthy pregnancy. Healthy eggs usually become fertilized, implant in the uterus, develop into an embryo, and finally a baby. However, poor quality eggs have a higher chance of genetic abnormalities. Most of the time, these eggs don’t result in pregnancy, but if they do, there’s a higher chance of miscarriage or a genetic disorder.
There are no simple tests that assess egg quality, but it’s clear that egg quality naturally declines with age. Women typically reach peak fertility in their twenties, and egg quality gradually decreases throughout the thirties, particularly after 35, and more dramatically in the early 40s. At this point, genetically abnormal eggs start to outnumber healthy eggs, which makes it more difficult to achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Beyond age, certain reproductive conditions can affect egg quality and the ability to ovulate regularly, and medical treatments (like chemotherapy and radiation) can also affect female fertility.
What is egg freezing?
Egg freezing (or oocyte cryopreservation) has become an increasingly common way to preserve your fertility if you want to start a family in the future, but aren’t quite ready for a baby right now.
The egg freezing process starts with ovarian stimulation, just like in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Women typically ovulate one mature egg per month, but the goal of egg freezing is to end up with as many healthy, mature eggs as possible. So, a fertility doctor prescribes injectable medications to help the body produce more eggs in a single month’s cycle. After stimulation, the eggs are retrieved during a brief procedure, and mature eggs undergo rapid freezing to minimize damage and preserve quality.
The likelihood of achieving a healthy pregnancy with frozen eggs hinges greatly on your age when you freeze your eggs. So, most experts recommend freezing your eggs before age 35 for the best outcomes.
What about cost?
While egg freezing is like an investment in your future fertility, cost is a huge factor that may impact your decision. On average, one cycle of ovarian stimulation costs around $10,000 in the United States, although this may vary based on your location and insurance coverage. Keep in mind that it may take more than one cycle to make sure you get the quantity of mature oocytes you need to help increase your chances of conceiving in the future. Once you’ve frozen your eggs, you’ll be responsible for monthly or annual storage fees to keep them preserved.
If you’re interested in egg freezing, talk with a fertility specialist in your area to find out if you’re a good candidate.
Are there any natural ways to maintain your fertility?
So, let’s say you’re not quite ready to commit to egg freezing, but you still want to prioritize and preserve your fertility. It’s the middle-ground where a lot of women find themselves. And while you can’t control age, there are several modifiable lifestyle habits that can help support fertility and egg quality to give you the best chance to conceive when you’re ready.
Lifestyle
Don’t underestimate the power of healthy lifestyle habits for your fertility and overall health. You’ve heard it before, and you’ll probably hear it again: follow a healthy diet, don’t smoke, and exercise regularly.
Beyond the standard recommendations, it’s worth considering a few research-backed nutrients to help further support your fertility.*
Fertility-Focused Supplements
Nutrients like CoQ10 (NeoQ10), inositols (Ovasitol), and melatonin play key roles in egg quality and fertility and may be a good fit for you whether you plan to proceed with egg freezing, or you’re trying to promote healthy egg quality and slow the biological clock.*
CoQ10
CoQ10 is a vitamin-like nutrient that is produced in nearly every cell of the body. There are two main ways CoQ10 may help support healthy egg quality.*
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CoQ10 is an antioxidant, which helps keep all the cells in your body healthy, including oocytes.*
- It’s also involved in energy production within your cells. Egg cells are the largest cell in the female body, so egg maturation requires a lot of energy. CoQ10 naturally decreases with age, which means that cells, including oocytes, become less efficient at producing energy and may not mature properly.
Inositols
Inositol is a nutrient found in beans, grains, fruit, and nuts, and it’s also made naturally within the body. Research shows that inositols can help support fertility in several ways, including healthy hormone levels, menstrual regularity, ovulation, and healthy egg quality.* Plus, studies suggest that myo-inositol may reduce the amount of hormone medications during ovarian stimulation.*
Melatonin
Melatonin is well-known for its role in sleep – research shows that it can help support healthy sleep onset, duration, and quality.* But, it’s also an antioxidant that can help support healthy egg and embryo quality, particularly in women undergoing fertility treatment (like ovarian stimulation).* If you’re actively trying to conceive naturally, though, melatonin may interfere with ovulation, so be sure to speak with your healthcare provider.
Preconception Prenatal Vitamin
Multivitamins are meant to fill in any nutrient gaps in your diet and support a healthy, active lifestyle.* Prenatal vitamins are formulated to meet your increased nutrient needs during pregnancy. And right in the middle are preconception vitamins.
Preconception vitamins are formulated with fertility-focused nutrients for women trying to conceive.* Some pair well with CoQ10, inositol, and melatonin, and they’re a great addition to your supplement routine if you’re planning for a family in the future.*
So, whether you’re planning on freezing your eggs or still have dreams to have children naturally in the future, focusing on your fertility now is key. Healthy lifestyle habits combined with fertility-focused nutrients can help you reach your family planning goals. Be sure to discuss your plans with your healthcare provider so they can help guide you on your path to parenthood.