Increasingly in the modern world, women are choosing to wait to have a child until they are emotionally, financially and psychologically ready to be a mother. Unfortunately, by the time these factors come together, they may no longer be as physically viable as they once were. A woman's ability to get pregnant begins to wane in her early 30s and continues to decline thereafter, says obstetrician Angela Keating of Providence Health Services. Although it will likely be more difficult for you to conceive after the age of 40, it isn't impossible.
Step 1
Try the natural approach first. The Mayo Clinic recommends that women between the ages of 35 and 40 try to conceive naturally for six months before seeking medical intervention. If you suffer from conditions like endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease or have had cancer treatments, your doctor might opt to begin fertility treatments right away.
Step 2
Take multivitamins and folic acid. A study conducted by Jorge Chavarro and colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Nutrition, and published in March 2008 in the journal Fertility and Sterility, concluded that women who take a multivitamin three times a week have a reduced risk of infertility. The study authors also noted that folic acid supplementation may enhance the benefits of multivitamins in aiding pregnancy.
Step 3
Get tested, along with your partner. Dr. Keating suggests that if you haven't conceived after six months, you and your partner undergo fertility tests. For you, this will mean hormone testing, ovulation testing and an evaluation of your uterus and fallopian tubes. Keating emphasizes, however, that a third of all fertility problems stem from the man's semen. If your partner's sperm isn't viable, he'll need to discuss possible treatments with the doctor. Encourage him to eat healthily and avoid smoking and alcohol.
Step 4
Discuss treatment options with your doctor, once it is determined that you have a fertility problem. The appropriate treatment will depend on the nature of your problem. According to the Mayo Clinic, options are fertility drugs if you have an ovulation problem, in vitro fertilization if both fallopian tubes are blocked and possible surgery for other fallopian tube anomalies.
Step 5
Understand the risks. When taking fertility drugs, you may have an increased chance of multiple births. Although the Mayo Clinic reports that oral fertility drugs are associated with a low risk of multiple births, the chances with injectable medications can be as high as 20 percent. You may also be at risk for a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which enlarges ovaries and may cause abdominal pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and shortness of breath. Your pregnancy may also be at increased risk of miscarriage or chromosomal birth defects.
Tips and Warnings
- Be open to other options. Although choices like adoption might not have been part of your plan, be willing to consider experiencing the joys of parenthood in this way. Eat healthily and keep your weight in a normal range. The Mayo Clinic reports that excess weight can impede your ability to get pregnant.
Things You'll Need
- Multivitamins
- Folic acid
- Fertility treatments
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