Impact of Age on Women’s Health in Reproductive Years

Impact of Age on Women’s Health in Reproductive Years

Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Poonam Kumar
MD (Obs & Gynae) Masters in Maternal & Fetal Medicine (Spain)
Chief Consultant
Fetal Medicine and Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Just like your other body organs, your reproductive system also goes through ageing. Women’s sexual and reproductive health is at its prime till 25 years. After a certain age, however, the reproductive system begins to slow down.

A lot of women today shy away from having babies due to either career or waiting for their partner, which causes problems in the long run. According to the best women’s care doctor in Sector 44 C, age-related infertility is more common in women today than it was in the previous generation. If you are planning to have a child, understanding the female reproductive system stages is important.

Parenting Tip:
Regular Health Check-ups, Nutrition and Exercise, Understanding Age-related Risks, Importance of Prenatal Care, Genetic Counseling, Fertility Preservation

What are the Stages of Reproduction?

According to the female gynaecologist in Chandigarh, a female reproductive system has the following stages:

Reproductive Years

In general, a woman gets her first menstrual period around the age of 12 years. In the initial stage, these period cycles can be irregular but turn into a regular cycle with growing age. The best in Chandigarh consider fertility peak from the late teens through the late 20s. By the age of 30 years, this fertility begins to obstetrics and gynaecology doctors drop leading to higher chances of miscarriages and reduced chances of becoming pregnant. 

Menopausal Transition

In the 40s, a woman begins to enter a transition phase leading up to menopause. During this time, the length of the period cycle also starts varying and she may even skip her periods at times. Some women experience hot flashes during this time. Hot flashes are due to reduced oestrogen in the body. In addition to this, you may also have sleeping problems.

During this period, pregnancy is usually rare but not impossible and contraception is still required to avoid pregnancy. A woman reaches the final age of her menopause by the age of 51 or 52 years.

Post-menopause

After menopause, pregnancy is impossible and contraception is no longer required. During this phase, ovaries either produce very little oestrogen or none at all. This causes bone loss and vaginal dryness. Some women may notice an increased intensity of hot flashes. It may, however, subside. Hormone therapy may help some women in the short term. If you notice spotting or vaginal bleeding during this stage, consult the best doctors in Chandigarh.

How Does Reproductive Aging Affect Fertility?

By the age of 40, you may find it extremely difficult to get pregnant. By the age of 45, pregnancy may be impossible for you. This occurs due to a reduction in both the quality and quantity of eggs in your ovaries. Although this decline in egg production starts by the age of 35 it becomes prominent by the age of 40 and 45 years.

In general, age is the best indicator of egg quality. A reduction in the egg quantity is called “loss of ovarian reserve”. Women begin to lose ovarian reserve before even they become infertile and before they stop having regular periods. If you wish to know your ovarian reserve, you can visit the best women’s care doctor in Sector-44 C and get your medical tests done. Keep in mind that these tests may not tell you if you can get pregnant but these can give you information about whether age-related ovarian changes have started in your body.

If your ovarian reserves are low, your chances of getting pregnant are greatly reduced.

What Are Your Options?

If you have considerably delayed your pregnancy and you are in your late 30s or early 40s, artificial pregnancy methods including in-vitro fertilization (IVF) are a great option for you.

If you are in your 20s and you are thinking of delaying your pregnancy, you can preserve your healthy eggs by egg freezing. This allows you to get pregnant when needed with the help of healthy eggs.

Conclusion

Your age plays a significant role in determining your reproductive capacity. If you are planning for pregnancy, make sure that you keep your age factor in mind and visit our gynaecologists at Motherhood Chaitanya Hospitals for expert guidance

FAQs:

As women age, their fertility gradually declines, with a more rapid decline typically occurring after the age of 35.

Older women are at higher risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, miscarriage, and chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.

Advanced maternal age decreases the success rates of ART procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), as older women may have fewer viable eggs and a higher likelihood of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos.

 

Advanced age is a significant risk factor for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other reproductive cancers, with the incidence increasing as women get older.

Women can maintain reproductive health as they age by adopting a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and attending regular gynecological check-ups and screenings.

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