"The biological clock is ticking." Is this old saying true? In fact, there is truth in that adage. Younger women generally have an easier time conceiving. There are many reasons for this. A woman starts life with a limited number of eggs. Even though these eggs may number close to a million, only some of them are in perfect condition for creating a baby. Once a woman starts menstruation, that group of eggs in her ovaries start dying off. As she gets older, her eggs continue to decrease. Some months, a woman may produce more than one egg during ovulation raising the chances of pregnancy and even having multiple children however all eggs aren't necessarily of ideal quality. Another reason why it is more difficult for women to get pregnant as they age is because their egg quality diminishes. Eggs must be tough to achieve fertilization and become a healthy embryo. Egg quality is always best in a woman at a young age and as she grows older, her eggs become weaker. Egg quality is measured by a follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test on the third day of the menstrual cycle. This is a test which is conducted by taking a blood sample. Levels of ten or lower are considered normal. Anything over 25 is an abnormal level. Doctors think that levels between ten and twenty-five fall within the borderline women that fall within this range might have trouble conceiving, but it's still a good possibility that they will become pregnant. Are we saying that women in their early 40's can never become pregnant? That's not always the case. A few women in their 40's will become pregnant and have a healthy baby, but chances are that there will be problems in conceiving. A woman at 40 will probably have more problems becoming pregnant she would have had at age twenty. Her eggs will not be as strong and healthy and there won't be as many of them. Yet, with a doctors care and fertility medications and treatments, it is possible to get pregnant.
Having eight children of his own, Chris Dunn enjoys writing articles about <a href="http://www.childbirth.net/" style="text-decoration:underline;">labor</a> for his pregnancy website.
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