The Sooner Marriage, the Better: 88% of Women's Eggs Gone by 30

Life Site News ^ | Monday February 1, 2010 | James Tillman

[GonzoII]

Monday February 1, 2010

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The Sooner Marriage, the Better: 88% of Women's Eggs Gone by 30

by James Tillman

Monday, February 1, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) -- A new study from the Universities of St. Andrews and of Edinburgh is offering a more accurate understanding of fertility and its decline with age, which researchers say is steeper than previously thought.

The study, which involved about 325 women of different ages from the United States and Europe, investigated the number of eggs that remain in the ovaries over time.  This number, said the researchers, peaks at about 20 weeks after conception and subsequently drops until no eggs are left at menopause.

At the age of 30 years, only 12% of the maximum ovarian reserve - the number of eggs with which women are born - is typically present; by 40, only 3% remains.

The average egg quality also decreases with age, which increases the difficulty of conception and the chances of an unhealthy baby.

"Women lose eggs a lot faster than we thought," said Good Morning America medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard. 

She pointed out that women need to hear that the biological clock runs fairly quickly, and that the chances of having children are jeopardized the longer one waits. 

Savard also pointed out other factors that can help fertility from decreasing, such as not smoking, keeping down body weight, and controlling stress.

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10020113.html

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[PhilCollins]

I’m glad that I like Phil Collins’ music. My favorite song of his is “Easy Lover,” and that might help, in this task.

[US Navy Vet]

Trying is fun too :-)!

[A_perfect_lady]

What’s more, after you’re 40 it’s pretty hard to get used to married life. I used to think people should wait. Now I say “Jump right in, your chances are no worse at 20 than at 40.”

[A_perfect_lady]

My grandma was 46 when she had my mom.

[pogo101]

I don’t doubt the science, but it’d the darndest juxtaposition:

1. Folks are most fertile at 15-19; yet
2. How many folks that age are emotionally mature enough for parenthood?

It’s a pity we don’t peak at 25 8)

[JenB987]

I’m always hoping the old wives tale of multiple births skipping a generation comes true, only I hope it’s the first pregnancy and not the last...

My dad is a triplet, conceived when my grandmother was 36. He has an older brother 5 years older than him.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Yes, but they are not the “norm”. It’s not like a younger woman has a better chance of getting pregnant because she releases a dozen eggs a month, and later they are almost all gone so she only releases one a month.

So I don’t understand how the number of eggs left in her ovaries can effect the ability to get pregnant in any particular month.

[TSgt]

My wife and I have been trying since September to start a family. She is 32 and I’m 33. We are both in great health but we realize it’s God’s decision not ours.

[chrisser]

I’m 42, and my wife is 41. We got married last Aug., and we want to conceive. I hope that we can, if we keep trying.

You're not alone. We've been trying for a little over two years and I'm the same age as you (although my wife's a few years younger than yours).

It's fun trying, but it sure would be great to succeed while I'm young enough to expect to live to see the kids graduate from high school.

[Jack Hydrazine]

So that’s why women’s chances of getting married start declining at age 25 and really go downhill after 30!

I’m 39 and I’ve never been married but would like to. Think I’ll start my search in the age 18 demographic because I do want to have children.

[Jack Hydrazine]

“In my view, the lies of abortion are mainly sold to the young and scared.”

You forgot about the lie that they need to be “the man” out there working instead of being at home with children.

[Buckeye McFrog]

And remember Sarah older women, and take heart, if God wills it, it is done!

We talkin’ Sarah of the Old Testament or Sarah of Wasilla? :)

[chrisser]

If any FReepers have some proven conception advice, this’d be a good thread to post it ;)

[Verginius Rufus]

My grandmother and her twin brother were not identical twins.

[Woebama]

We talkin’ Sarah of the Old Testament or Sarah of Wasilla? :)
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Heh!

[Woebama]

Yah, we broke through birth control as well for a child!

[ArrogantBustard]

Well ...

It helps to take all your clothes off.

[Woebama]

What’s more, after you’re 40 it’s pretty hard to get used to married life. I used to think people should wait. Now I say “Jump right in, your chances are no worse at 20 than at 40.”
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Yuppers. I was older when I married and had children and it’s hokem that you are more prepared when you are older. Having a child changes everything, and it doesn’t matter if you are 40 or 20 . . .

[married21]

We used natural family planning to “space” our children. Now I think, if we hadn’t known, through that method, when I was fertile, we probably wouldn’t have conceived naturally. We would have faced the age-related declining ovaries and the missed timing. I had them at age 36 and 38. I was told at 44 that it was way too late and I should give up on any more.

I recommend learning exactly what your body is doing.

Good luck! I’m sure some little soul somewhere is going to be your baby.

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also, to somebody else who was talking about someone conceiving in their 40s, we know a couple of people who conceived naturally at 50. But you need to come from long-lived stock, it seems.

[chrisser]

It helps to take all your clothes off.

Now ya tell me...