Fertility tips for women nearing menopause, as revealed by the doctors
Fertility tips for women nearing menopause, as revealed by the doctors
Menopause marks the end of periods as a hormonal milestone and though most women experience menopause by the age of 52, certain genetics, underlying conditions or pelvic or ovarian damage may cause sudden menopause earlier in life. It is the natural suspension of a woman’s menstrual cycle that marks the end of fertility.
Many women find themselves trying for conception in their late thirties and forties, a period which is nearing menopause.Reproductive Medicine at Delhi’s Milann Fertility Hospital, shared, “It is often wondered if there is a fertility boost in the years leading up to menopause. Since the body naturally stimulates the ovaries more aggressively, there may be a tiny relative rise. However, this occurrence has not been thoroughly investigated and validated.”
She added, “Although postmenopausal eggs are no longer viable and also there is high risk of having baby with birth defects, there are still two methods to use IVF. One can use eggs frozen in the past when the women was menstruating (social egg freezing) or fresh frozen donor eggs. Hormone therapy is also required to prepare your body for implantation and to carry a baby to term. Hormone replacement therapy is given to resume menstruation for atleast three months before the embryo is transferred in uterus.”
Highlighting that recently new upcoming therapies like ovarian PRP( platelet rich plasma) and stem cell therapy are being offered for ovarian rejuvenation, Dr Astha Gupta said, “They may help some patients who don’t have frozen eggs and cannot accept donor eggs due to religious or cultural issues. In this scenario, fertility professionals frequently offer Clomid (clomiphene citrate), an oral drug, or an injectable hormone. FSH levels are raised as a result of these medications, causing the body to release more than one egg per month.”
According to Dr Pundalik Sonawane, Obstetrician and Gynecologist and Professor and Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mumbai’s KJ Somaiya Medical College, spontaneous and natural pregnancies do occur in thirties and forties but overall fertility chances are reduced due to depletion of quality and quantity of ovarian reserve of oocytes. She said, “Fertility can still be accomplished by ovarian stimulation or taking donor oocytes through In Vitro Fertilization Techniques.
Women should be made aware of the complications of pregnancy at such advanced maternal age such as abortion, complications due to the mother having diabetes and hypertension, higher chances of chromosomal anomalies and birth defects in the baby, and adjustment difficulties of post delivery period.”