What's my chance of having a baby? This is the highest predictor of fertility success
/As a woman ages, the probability of naturally conceiving and having a live birth decreases as we get older (1).
It is reported for women older than 40 years, the chance of conceiving naturally is about 4%, and the cumulative live birth rate with IVF is about 7% (2). That’s significantly lower compared to the 35- to 37-year-old age group, where the chance of conceiving naturally is about 31.9% (3).
So, a woman’s age is hugely important to the urgency of management around trying to fall pregnant, and maternal age can be the determining factor for the actual treatment plan.
Because maternal age is the highest predictor of fertility success.
In fact, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM, 4) recommends that women aged 35 years or over receive accelerated management and treatment after six months of failed attempts to fall pregnant, and that women aged 40 or over seek immediate care as soon as they start trying.
Can I still get pregnant if I’m in my late 30s or 40s?
As an acupuncturist who work’s in depth with women’s health and fertility, I am very happy to have seen and worked with many women in their mid to late 40s who have achieved successful pregnancies and births.
Here at my Prospect clinic, our acupuncturists are very passionate about helping assess your fertility goals and planning out a thorough individualised management plan. A usual initial appointment would consist of a very thorough intake of medical history, current symptoms, management, and then an individualised diagnosis from a Chinese medicine view, and tailored treatment plan.
We'll likely discuss ideal lifestyle factors that help with increasing fertility chances, such as:
Menstrual and fertility charting
Acupuncture treatments
Dietary and lifestyle tips
Natural herbs you may be able to take.
This style of treatment sits alongside work you might be doing with your reproductive fertility doctor and team, complementing existing treatment plans. We can also work with your fertility specialist or clinic if you are currently in cycles of IUI, IVF or ICSI. We're always here to help.
More resources to help on your pregnancy journey
Want to know more about fertility? Have a read of some of my previous blogs:
If you’re interested in booking an individualised assessment to help your fertility health, Dr Karen Chan (Acu) and Dr Voula Tep (Acu) are available for consult. Got questions? Feel free to comment below or contact us for further information. Hope to see you in the clinic soon, healthy regards, Karen.
Dr Karen Chan (Acu) is the chief Acupuncturist, Physiotherapist and Director of Prospect Physiotherapy and Health Plus Clinic in Adelaide. The clinic is an integrative clinic to address all your health and wellbeing with a holistic approach, inclusive of traditional Chinese medicine, physiotherapy, remedial massage therapy, dietetics and nutrition, podiatry, pilates, yoga and mindfulness. Having completed her Masters of Reproductive Medicine, Karen has a keen interest in fertility and stress management.
References:
1. Abdallah KS, Hunt S, Abdullah SA, Mol BW, Youssef MA. How and why to define unexplained infertility? Semin Reprod Med. 2020 Jan;38(1):55-60
2. Carosso AR, van Eekelen R, Revelli A, Canosa S, Mercaldo N, Stura I, et al. Expectant management before In vitro fertilization in women aged 39 or above and unexplained infertility does not decrease live birth rates compared to immediate treatment. Reprod Sci. 2021 Nov;(1):1–9
3. Wang R, Danhof NA, Tjon-Kon-Fat RI, Eijkemans MJ, Bossuyt PM, Mochtar MH, et al. Interventions for unexplained infertility: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Sep;9 (9):CD012692
4. Abdallah KS, Hunt S, Abdullah SA, Mol BWJ, Youssef MA. How and Why to Define Unexplained Infertility? Semin Reprod Med. 2020 Jan;38(1):55-60. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1718709
