It
is probably too well-known to some that the older a woman
gets, the more likely she is to have fertility problems. Researchers
are just learning that the same might be said for men.
While there is certainly no magical cut-off date as regards
to fertility, experts recommend that qualified specialty assistance
be sought when well-timed, unprotected sexual intercourse
has not resulted in conception after:
* one year, if the female partner is younger than 30, and
* after six months, if the female partner is in her 30's or
older.
The reasons for this age differentiation in women are as follows:
-
Females are born with all of the eggs that they will have
in a lifetime; they do not make new eggs.
- As
the female body ages, so do her oocytes (eggs). There is
evidence that older eggs may present with more problems
of the DNA, the crucial building blocks of life. There are
several schools of thought as to why this may be the case:
-
DNA may become damaged over time from the natural effects
of aging;
-
DNA may become damaged after years of environmental
impact;
-
The female body may have a 'sorting' mechanism by which
it releases through ovulation the most viable eggs earlier
in the woman's life, leaving less viable ones later.
-
Females have a higher chance of miscarriage and offspring
with chromosomal abnormalities, due to:
-
The higher possibility of chromosomal abnormalities
in the available eggs;
-
Greater general risk for hormonal imbalances and other
pregnancy-impacting health conditions.
-
As a result of the above, women may either perceive or actually
have fewer years to successfully conceive as they age. Diagnosis
of any infertility conditions may take several weeks to
months, thereby depleting her available conceptual years
further. Once a diagnosis has been made, treatment itself
will take additional time.
Female Diagnosis
In diagnosing
for age-related female infertility, one is looking for the
quality of a woman's ovarian reserve, a measurement of how
viable her egg supply is for conception purposes. The tests
may include:
-
serum FSH levels, sampled through blood draws on day 3 of
a woman's cycle
-
clomiphene challenge test, in which the patient is administered
clomiphene citrate and then has FSH measured
Normally
fertile and even most relatively infertile men have the good
fortune of being able to reproduce sperm, unlike women. In
general, it is believed that a man's sperm supply is completely
refreshed approximately every three months. This means that
problems associated with the age of the actual gametes (sperm)
is not an issue for men, as it is with women.
Very recently, a research study indicated for the first time
that a man's age may impact his fecundity, or ability to impregnate
within a month. For more information on that study, please
see our related news page. This is the first such documentation
of that possibility, and it must be noted that the research
itself has been disputed by some, as youth-related higher
levels of sexual activity may not have been accounted for
in the data.
However, the following may be age-related fertility issues
for men:
-
declining testosterone production
-
declining sperm motility and overall production
-
increased risk of prostate problems in general
- increased
incidence of erectile dysfunction or ejaculation problems
- years
of environmental damage, such as toxin exposure, alcohol
or tobacco consumption, to sperm production mechanism or
sperm cells themself
- less
frequent sexual activity in general
Male
Diagnosis & Treatment
Diagnosis and treatment of age-related male infertility is,
in essence, no different than for other male infertility factors.
Diagnosis would certainly begin with: semen
analysis
And may continue with:
-
physical exams
-
Doppler exam
-
scrotal ultrasound
The
above information was provided by www.about.com |
2WW = Two-week wait,
that dreaded time between ovulation (and any conception attempts)
and possibly AF.
ADI = Anonymous
donor insemination, referring to sperm donors who are not known
to the couple using the sperm
AF = Aunt Flo, a woman's menstrual period.
ART = Assisted reproductive technology or technique
rature
BCP, OCP = Birth control pills, oral contraceptives
BD, bd'ing = Baby-dancing, sexual relations that are
hoped to result in conception.
Beta = Often refers to Beta hCG test (See hCG below).
CCT, clomid challenge test
= Diagnostic test in which clomiphene is used to gauge ovaries'
response to FSH, thereby predicting the "health" of
egg supply
CD = Cycle day, referring to which day of a woman's ovulatory
cycle she is presently in
CM = Cervical mucus
Cryo = Cryopreservation, referring to the freezing of
embryos, sperm, and occasionally, eggs for future use in IVF
DE = Donor egg,
referring to eggs other than those of woman trying to conceive
DI = Donor insemination, referring to insemination with
sperm other than husband's or partner's
DPO = Day post ovulation, referring to how many days
past ovulation a woman is in her cycle
Dx = Diagnosis
E2, estradiol =
An estrogen most important to a woman's reproductive cycle
EP = Ectopic pregnancy, sometimes referred to as a tubal
pregnancy
ER, egg retrieval = Procedure in which mature eggs are
harvested from a woman's ovary for either cryopreservation or
for IVF process
FET = Frozen embryo
transfer, referring to the use of embryos that are results of
IVF and were cryopreserved
FT3, Free T3 = Triodothyronine, part of a good thyroid
function workup
FT4, Free T4 = Thyroxine, part of a good thyroid function
workup
FSH = Follicle stimulating hormone. When used to refer to
a means of determining possible ovarian failure, FSH refers
to a blood test drawn on CD3. FSH is also used to refer to fertility
medications that are comprised of either naturally-occurring
or synthetic hormone.
FWIW = "for what it's worth"
GIFT = Gamete intrafallopian
transfer, assisted reproductive technique in which egg and sperm
cells are retrieved and then deposited into fallopian tube,
where it is hoped they meet and fertilize.
GYN = Refers to a gynecologist or gynecology.
HCG, hCG = human
Chorionic Gonadotropin, the hormone emitted by human placenta,
is what pregnancy tests measure. Also used in reference to medications
that are comprised of the hormone and used during assisted reproductive
techniques.
HPT = Home pregnancy test
HSG = Hysterosalpingogram, diagnostic test used to determine
tubal patency
Hx = History, particularly medical
ICSI = Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection,
assisted reproductive technique in which a single sperm is injected
via needle into an egg's membranes
IF = Infertility or infertile
Injects = Any injectable fertility drugs
IUI = Intrauterine insemination
IVF = In vitro fertilization
KDI = Known donor
insemination, referring to sperm donors who are known to the
couple using the sperm
LH = Luteinizing
hormone
LPD = Luteal phase defect
MC, m/c = Miscarriage
O'ing, Ov'ing, Ov
= Ovulating or ovulation
OPK = Ovulation predictor kit
P4, progesterone, serum progesterone
= Often refers to diagnostic test of the amount of progesterone
in a woman's blood, often drawn around CD21, to determine if
ovulation is occuring.
PCOS = Polycystic ovarian syndrome
PCT, post-coital = Diagnostic test in which a woman undergoes
a pelvic exam after engaging in sexual relations.
PG = Pregnant or pregnancy
PPD = Postpartum depression
PROM = Premature rupture of membranes, referring to what
is commonly called a pregnant woman's "water breaking"
early in pregnancy
Px = Prognosis
RE = Reproductive endocrinologist
RSA = Recurrent spontaneous aborter, referring to someone
who has had more than two miscarriages.
SA = Semen analysis
Stims = Refers to phase of an IVF (or other ART) protocol
in which a woman's ovaries are being stimulated to produce eggs
through the use of fertility drugs.
TTC = Trying to
conceive
Tx = Treatment
U/S = Ultrasound
ZIFT = Zygote intrafallopian
transfer, assisted reproductive technique in which pre-embryos
are deposited into fallopian tube approximately one day after
fertilization has occurred.
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