Best Age to Become a Parent – Am I Ever Too Old?
Did I postpone my parenthood for too long? Is it already too late for becoming a parent? What is the best age to become a parent? These are the types of questions we hear consistently from doubtful yet hopeful parents-to-be. Thanks to scientific progress as well as the generosity of surrogates and donors, the answer to this question is no. Technically, it is never entirely too late. It is essential, however, to look at the fundamentals behind the biological clock and what consequence it has for our fertility.
Best Age to Become a Parent – Is There Such a Thing as a Biological Clock?
Well, nothing physical is ticking inside your body planning to ring when it is the best age to become a parent. Nevertheless, there is an innate mechanism in your brain. The one orchestrates your physiological processes like growth, sleep, as well as reproduction. For instance, the sleep-regulating circadian rhythm is a component of this innate mechanism. It helps your body to adjust well to the environment. According to some researchers, it can also produce a hormonal inclination for becoming a parent at a certain point in time. One study conducted in 2011 shows that women and men alike can experience an “impulsive, instinctual and almost overwhelming urge for having a baby.”
Does Biological Clock Affect Pregnancy and How?
Apart from helping your body recuperate after a jet lag, your biological clock can signify when it is about time to start preparing for a pregnancy. As the age impacts on the body, so are female eggs. According to reports from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, there is a 20 percent chance for a 30-year-old female to conceive each month. Meanwhile, it is only about 5 percent for a 40-year-old woman. A shrinking ovarian reserve paired with genetic issues frequently prevents a woman from becoming and staying pregnant.
Thus, so many women around the world are afraid to “miss” their best age to become a parent. Well, John Mirowsky from the University of Texas at Austin says that the best age for pregnancy is from late teens to early twenties. Well, this is kind of logic because oocytes are still fresh. Meanwhile, the body is at its youthful peak when it comes to reproductive as well as other systems.
What About the “Optimal” Age?
Yet, in the context of modern reality, other ages come as “optimal” ones for becoming a parent. For example, in the case of the mother’s long-standing physical health, the best age to become a parent and have the first childbirth is 31 years old. The optimal age for the mother’s lasting well-being and mortality is 34 years old.
Overall, according to John Mirowsky, women can “practically expect optimum health effects from postponing maternity into their thirties.” On the other hand, alternative research shows that 35 years old is the age when fertility may begin to decline sharply. A woman who tries to conceive for 12 months or more under the age of 35 should consult with a reproductive endocrinologist to define what maintenance to utilize if any exists.
What to Do After 40?
It is correct that some reproductive health clinics work with women into their early 40s to retrieve eggs for their own IVF transfer. This typically requires the embryos to undergo preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). The same happens for a broad chromosomal screening to control their quality before actual implantation. When egg donor is involved, however, the age range must be significantly more conservative. It is essential to mitigate all possible risks, including the quantity and quality of the eggs used. Take a look at available IVF programs to find your best solution for becoming a parent.
Is Biological Clock Working In Men as Well?
It is a mass opinion that there is no best age to become a parent for men. People think that men can successfully have children at about any age. Well, it is true that a man’s window of fertility is much wider than the one of a woman. Nevertheless, men should remember that their sperm is most fertile before they turn 40. After this age, male fertility starts to decline.
The sperm motility and the volume of semen decrease gradually from the age of 20 to the age of 80. Moreover, the quality of the available sperm begins to deteriorate as well. In fact, the risk of miscarriage is higher for females whose male partners are 45 or older than for those whose male partners are younger than 25.
Can You Trick the Biological Clock for Becoming a Parent?
Well, there is no way to ultimately set the best age to become a parent and trick your biological clock. However, it is pretty possible to enjoy the parenthood in spite of it. By forgoing your gametes, be it sperm, eggs, or both, and using a donor, you can make your dream come true. Egg donation is getting broadly popular amongst those hopeful parents who are looking for the highest odds of having a baby. Research shows that donor-egg IVF has a 52% success rate. Even 75% at the top reproductive clinics make donor egg IVF the most successful from all types of advanced fertility services.
Increase Your Chances for Parenting
Many female patients increase their odds for becoming a parent in the future using an egg freezing technology. Women consider egg freezing as fertility “insurance” if they are not ready to create embryos with a current partner. While this practice gained in popularity quickly, success rates are still inconsistent. Moreover, there is no principal guarantee of motherhood. Another relatively new approach to preserve fertility is the freezing of ovarian tissue. Currently, the procedure is still considered experimental. There is a new study indicating that roughly 36-38 percent of females who used ovarian tissue freezing could conceive successfully.
Conclusion
If you believe that using an egg donor may be your best path for becoming a parent, we are here to guide you through. Our team is ready to provide all the steps needed to reach your goal! Remember that there is no best age to become a parent if you desire it more than everything.