Myth: If a woman is healthy and fit, she can get pregnant at any age.
Myth: 40 is the new 20. There is no difference in getting pregnant at age 40 than at age 20.
Myth: Celebrities are waiting until their 40s and 50s to start a family and having no problems at all.
We hear these all the time. Couples who are confident they can wait until they’re older to start their own families. Or older women who are determined to use their eggs no matter how old they are.
There are many myths out there when it comes to women who have babies after 10. Stop listening to them and start learning the facts.
Here’s everything you need to know about pregnancy after 40.
Age Affects Fertility
The first thing to know is that age in both men and women affect fertility.
Age in Women
Fertility is all about the numbers when it comes to women. A baby girl is born with a finite number of eggs — usually around 2 million. Every month her eggs start to decline — so much so that by the time she goes through puberty, she has roughly 400,000 eggs left.
That should be plenty of eggs to start a family with, but every month the number of eggs she has continues to decline.
Once a woman is in her mid-thirties, it becomes much harder for her to become pregnant because she doesn’t have as many healthy eggs left as a woman in her twenties.
Age in Men
Many think that men can perform no matter how old they are. Unfortunately, that isn’t true. Many issues may arise (or may not rise) as men age.
One study showed the older a man gets, the higher chance he has of having a child with autism or schizophrenia.
Risks After Age 40
As the number of eggs decline, the risks get greater. This is because as the eggs get older, they’re not as healthy.
Many women in their forties are successful and confident. They feel ready to be a mother finally, but they must understand there are risks involved in having a baby at an older age.
These risks include:
A higher percentage of miscarriage
Low fetal birth weight
Increased chance of preeclampsia
Higher risk of certain congenital disabilities and genetic disorders such as Down Syndrome
While these risks are cause for concern, we want you to know that there are other options for women over 40 to have a baby.
Options for Older Women
While older women can get pregnant and have a baby, it’s much more difficult when a woman is in her forties. That’s where we come in.
Egg donation is when a healthy egg from a donor is used to create an embryo. This embryo is then implanted into a surrogate mother to carry the baby full term.
Using donor eggs significantly increases the chances of getting pregnant. These are eggs taken from women between the ages of 20 and 30. These women are willing to donate their eggs because they want to help families.
Egg donors are very generous, and while they do receive compensation for their eggs, they want to help couples who can’t have children on their own.
Many mothers are worried she will have to share custody of the child if a donor egg is used. There’s nothing further from the truth. Egg donors do not want to be mothers yet. They understand that they’re donating their eggs for other families to use.
And to make sure everyone is on the same page, Binding legal contracts are signed to protect the rights of all parties involved.
Bonding with Egg Donor Babies
Many mothers may grieve the fact that when they use an egg donor, they aren’t biologically connected to their babies. We understand. It may take some time to process those heavy emotions.
We know from experience that the connection between a mother and her child is much more than biological. Being a mother is a state of mind. Being a mother is about loving and taking care of the child day in and day out.
You’re Not Alone
If you’re an older woman wanting a baby, but finding it hard to get pregnant on your own, know you’re not alone.
You’re actually in excellent company. Mariah Carey, Nicole Kidman, Kelly Preston, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Halle Barry all had the help of either an egg donor or a surrogate to have a baby while in their forties.
These women are examples of what can be possible for women over the age of 40. Don’t let your age get in the way of becoming a mother. There are solutions and answers to all of your issues and concerns. At Elevate Egg, we can help you find answers.
Contact us today and let us help.
