Infertility (cont.)

Many things can change a woman's ability to have a baby. These include:

• age
  
  
• stress
  
  
• poor diet
  
  
• athletic training
  
  
• being overweight or underweight
  
  
• smoking
  
  
• excess alcohol use
  
  
• sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  
  
• health problems that cause hormonal changes, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and primary ovarian insufficiency

Many women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to have children. In fact, about 20 percent of women in the United States now have their first child after age 35. So age is a growing cause of fertility problems. About one-third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems.

Aging decreases a woman's chances of having a baby in the following ways:

• Her ovaries become less able to release eggs.
  
  
• She has a smaller number of eggs left.
  
  
• Her eggs are not as healthy.
  
  
• She is more likely to have health conditions that can cause fertility problems.
  
  
• She is more likely to have a miscarriage.

Most experts suggest at least one year. Women 35 or older should see their doctors after six months of trying. A woman's chances of having a baby decrease rapidly every year after the age of 30.

Some health problems also increase the risk of infertility. So, women should talk to their doctors if they have:

• Irregular periods or no menstrual periods
  
  
• Very painful periods
  
  
• Endometriosis
  
  
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
  
  
• More than one miscarriage

It is a good idea for any woman to talk to a doctor before trying to get pregnant. Doctors can help you get your body ready for a healthy baby. They can also answer questions on fertility and give tips on conceiving.

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/infertility/article.htm