by Sandy Robertson

Many womens' infertility falls into the 'unexplained' category.  If you're over 40, you'll probably get a speech about the dismal 'pregnancy over 40' statistics, and if you're over 43, most reproductive endocrinologists won't even talk to you unless you're willing to consider donor eggs.  Well, sorry to 'blow holes' in that theory, but I was 44 when I had my daughter, I conceived her without fertility treatments, and she just happens to be perfect (contrary to all those 'other' statistics that have you convinced you're going to have a baby with some type of chromosomal abnormality or other defect).

If you're having trouble getting pregnant, you're most certainly aware of the medical definition of infertility:  'failure to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse.'  If you happen to be over 40, many doctors would urge you to wait only 6 months before seeking assistance from a reproductive endocrinologist.  I will admit, it's probably a good idea to get an evaluation because there could be anatomical abnormalities (such as blocked tubes) which can't be overcome without medical intervention.

However, many womens' infertility falls into the 'unexplained' category.  If you're over 40, you'll probably get a speech about the dismal 'pregnancy over 40' statistics, and if you're over 43, most reproductive endocrinologists won't even talk to you unless you're willing to consider donor eggs.  Well, sorry to 'blow holes' in that theory, but I was 44 when I had my daughter, I conceived her without fertility treatments, and she just happens to be perfect (contrary to all those 'other' statistics that have you convinced you're going to have a baby with some type of chromosomal abnormality or other defect).

The NIEHS published a study that showed among outwardly healthy couples with no known conditions associated with infertility, most who failed to conceive naturally within the first year will conceive naturally in the second year - regardless of age.  I ran an infertility women's support group and I saw some very interesting results.  Most of the women in the group were in their late 30's and early 40's and approximately half of them got pregnant in between treatment cycles.  There were two women in the group who were told their FSH was too high (indicating poor egg quality) and their only chance of success was to consider an egg donor.  One of those women got pregnant while looking for an egg donor, the other got pregnant while trying to save up enough money for the procedure (and wound up having a second child naturally).  Another woman in the support group was 43 and after being on fertility drugs was forced to take a break when she developed an ovarian cyst.  Sure enough, she conceived while on her 'break' and had a healthy robust baby boy on her 44th birthday (a home birth no less!)

I, myself, went through IVF twice only to miscarry and have my left fallopian tube removed after one cycle ended in an ectopic pregnancy.  Now that I have the benefit of hindsight, I'm saddened that I put myself through the rigors of IVF only to have my best success naturally.  After spending upwards of $25,000 on fertility treatments only to walk away with nothing, I started researching natural methods of enhancing fertility.  My research led to a specific pregnancy protocol which prepared my body, changed my lifestyle, and cleared my mental roadblocks. I got pregnant 4 times after embarking on my natural journey and as I got healthier and more hormonally balanced, I finally carried my last pregnancy to term without complications.

Getting pregnant over the age of 40 isn't really that rare.  The 'pregnancy over 40' statistics don't look so great, but that's because most women over 40 aren't trying to get pregnant.  Even so, the rate of unintended pregnancies in women over 40 is second only to teenagers!  So, if you're in your late 30's or 40's and trying to conceive, evaluate your options carefully.  Maybe the natural route deserves a chance.

Copyright 2006 Sandy Robertson

Fertility