Is getting pregnant after 40 even possible? Take a deep dive as we talk about fertility tips, risks, and available fertility treatment options.
Getting Pregnant After 40 – Tips and Advice
In a world where we are living longer than ever before, many women are discovering the joys of late motherhood.
If you’re in your forties and want to start a family, you’re not alone.
Let’s take a look at your go-to resources for practical advice on understanding fertility, improving your chances of conception, and enjoying the unique experience of getting pregnant after 40!
Fertility After 40: The Challenges
As we enter our forties, it becomes critical to recognise all the factors that could impact your fertility. First and foremost, the ‘biological clock’ is well and truly ticking, which means that getting pregnant may be considerably more difficult than it was in your 30s.
Secondly, egg and sperm quality drop dramatically with age and this can significantly reduce your chances of pregnancy as a couple. Eggs become more fragile and quality reduces, whilst sperm may not swim as energetically as previously, making fertilisation difficult.
Lastly, making significant lifestyle changes in order to support fertility can be quite tough. It is highly likely that you have achieved stability and have settled into established routines. It might not always be easy to shift to a healthier diet or find time for regular exercise in your busy lifestyle. However, understanding these factors empowers you to make informed choices on your fertility journey.
How To Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant After 40: Top tips
1. Lifestyle Changes
Cutting back unhealthy habits like smoking and alcohol, and replacing them with regular exercise and a balanced diet can do wonders for supporting your fertility – for both men and women.
2. Stress Management
In this day and age, stress is inevitable – there’s no way around it. But by embracing techniques like meditation, mindfulness and regular short breaks, you can give your body the time and energy it needs to manage stress effectively. Meditation and mindfulness can help to calm down the racing mind and improve blood circulation in the body, according to research.
3. Supplements and Nutrition
Proper nourishment and supplementation is essential for your body, especially when you are in your forties. It can not only keep you healthy, but studies have shown that supplements like CoQ10 and folic acid can be helpful for improving fertility. CoQ10 reduces sperm DNA damage and enhances the quality of semen while folic acid is known to increase fertility in women.
4. Managing Your Cycles
What if we told you that you could increase your chance of pregnancy by predicting the right time to have intercourse? Many couples fail to understand that having sex during the right phase of a woman’s cycle can also improve chances of conception.
Having intercourse during the ovulation phase maximises the potential for fertilisation. After ovulation, the body undergoes important changes in response to progesterone levels. Elevated progesterone levels inhibit further ovulation and instead prepare the body for either pregnancy or menstruation.
This delicate balance of progesterone is crucial for reproductive health and can be assessed by monitoring progesterone levels after ovulation. You can try using a period tracker app to predict your cycles.
5. Consult a Fertility Specialist
Your fertility depends on many factors, some of which cannot be rectified by a good routine and healthy lifestyle alone. Time really is fertility, and if you are in your forties, we would suggest approaching a fertility specialist as early as possible to help you conceive.
A fertility specialist can help give you the best chance of getting pregnant by providing fertility tests to reveal any underlying issues as soon as possible. Finding a fertility clinic in London that offers top quality care is now easier than ever. If they discover any problems, they will also be able to offer fertility treatment tailored to you and your needs. This could include the famous In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).
Are There Any Risks to Getting Pregnant After 40?
All pregnancies carry risk. Here, we have broken down some of the main ones you should consider when getting pregnant in your forties:
- Diabetes: The risk of acquiring gestational diabetes during pregnancy is increased.
- High blood pressure: Pregnancy in your forties increases the risk of hypertension, necessitating careful monitoring and control.
- Chromosomal abnormalities: There is a higher likelihood of genetic problems in the newborn, demanding further medical care.
- Risk to foetus: In late pregnancies, cases of preterm delivery and low birth weight are more likely, which can have an impact on the baby’s health.
- Failed pregnancy: There may be a higher risk of suffering complications such as miscarriage.
Your Pregnancy Journey
Choosing to embark on a pregnancy journey in your forties is a big decision. While many factors can influence your fertility, there are ways to improve your chances of pregnancy. The lifestyle changes we have described above can all help make sure your body is in the best possible condition for supporting a pregnancy. Coupled with professional help from fertility experts, your chances of conception can increase significantly. Remember, you are not alone and help is available every step of the way.
