Modern women are not fully aware of the risks of delaying childbirth
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Scientists at Yale University have concluded that modern women are not fully aware of the risks they are in putting off the birth of a child. Many women are convinced that doctors will help them get pregnant at almost any age.
As one of the authors of the study, Pasquale Patrizio, notes, women are more often referred to physicians than 43 years old, counting without problems to conceive a child - unsatisfactory results become a bitter disappointment for them.
Today many women are in no hurry to acquire children, wishing first to complete education, build a career or find a suitable partner. Meanwhile, few of them think that over the years the reproductive capacity is weakening, and even the most advanced technologies may be powerless before age-related infertility.
According to US medical statistics, the number of cases of in vitro fertilization (IVF) from 2003 to 2009 increased by 9% among women younger than 35 years and by 41% among patients over the age of forty. However, the proportion of successful IVF among women 42 years and older is still only 9%. In addition, in older pregnant women, the risk of various complications increases.
Patrizio believes that the fight against this sad trend is due to the active dissemination of information about reproductive health. In his opinion, doctors should promptly warn patients about what problems they may face, deciding to wait with the birth of a child, and also to tell them about what methods give the greatest guarantee of getting pregnant in the future.
Thus, Patrizio recommends that women think about the freezing of eggs - this strategy is suitable for those who are not yet ready to have children, but wants the genetic material of the future child to come from the mother. Significantly increases the chances of success of IVF and the use of a donor egg. "These are proven technologies and they should not be considered experimental," the scientist emphasizes.
A material detailing the results of the study is published by Fertility and Sterility.
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