A local fertility doctor was interviewed by the media on the rise of fertility treatments:
The once prevailing view, he said, was that fertility for women started to drop at 35 years old. But no longer. "For women the best-before date is somewhere between 32 and 35, and for men it's around 40,"
No doctor, even when I had a regular doctor and gynaecologist, mentioned anything about this issue, ever. I had thought eggs were good until your early 40s, then they run out. Wrong. The quality decreases over time. And it's different for each woman.
Maybe I would have made some different choices had I known. Whether it would be just getting started on baby making quicker or freezing my eggs, I have no idea. No point looking back. As they say hindsight is 20/20.
Sigh. So this is the ongoing health issue that affects my life and has done in a big way since last year. My man and I have been trying to have a baby. We have been going through IVF after I initially lost over 35 lbs.
Being over 35 years of age, my fertility doctor is more concerned about the quality of my eggs and not so much my weight while going through the treatments. Weight is certainly an issue during pregnancy with diabetes and preeclampsia and other weight-related issues a concern.
For me, being bombarded with drugs, hormones, blood draws, ultrasounds countless appointments and disappointments has been exhausting. Not just physically, but emotionally. My man has been a rock and we've grown closer than ever.
The once prevailing view, he said, was that fertility for women started to drop at 35 years old. But no longer. "For women the best-before date is somewhere between 32 and 35, and for men it's around 40,"
No doctor, even when I had a regular doctor and gynaecologist, mentioned anything about this issue, ever. I had thought eggs were good until your early 40s, then they run out. Wrong. The quality decreases over time. And it's different for each woman.
Maybe I would have made some different choices had I known. Whether it would be just getting started on baby making quicker or freezing my eggs, I have no idea. No point looking back. As they say hindsight is 20/20.
Sigh. So this is the ongoing health issue that affects my life and has done in a big way since last year. My man and I have been trying to have a baby. We have been going through IVF after I initially lost over 35 lbs.
Being over 35 years of age, my fertility doctor is more concerned about the quality of my eggs and not so much my weight while going through the treatments. Weight is certainly an issue during pregnancy with diabetes and preeclampsia and other weight-related issues a concern.
For me, being bombarded with drugs, hormones, blood draws, ultrasounds countless appointments and disappointments has been exhausting. Not just physically, but emotionally. My man has been a rock and we've grown closer than ever.
Next step for me: Boosting up my exercise routine while on a break from the baby making... once I'm through this most recent disappointment.
I keep in mind that I can't give up hope.
No weigh-in this week.
I'm so sorry. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks Gwen.
DeleteI was so naive about infertility and how early it can strike until the majority of my friends had problems with it. None of our OBs really mentioned anything about it to us. I strongly agree that it needs to be more widely talked about.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry that you're going through this!
Thanks Stacey. Since opening up to a few friends, they've also indicated their road was not easy either.
DeleteI turn 30 tomorrow and this is something that has been on my mind almost constantly. My husband and I know that we really don't know if we can get pregnant til we try and there is a possibility that we will struggle. I'm sorry for all the struggles you've gone through. You are a strong woman, Nikki.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words Shannon. I'm glad you're aware and are thinking about it now. You never know until you try.
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