Advanced Age/Age Related Infertility

Many women are not aware of the extreme effect that age has on fertility. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have in their lifetime and this pool of eggs declines continuously throughout a woman's life. The effects can be seen in a woman's early 30's and becomes a more common problem in women 35 and over. Not only does the pool decrease but the genetic contribution the egg to the embryo is more likely abnormal with progressing age. The reduction in pregnancy is due to fewer available eggs and a reduction in egg quality. Specifically, as the eggs age, the biologic process used to divide the cell becomes less efficient. This leads to non-viable eggs and an increase in chromosomal abnormalities.