When discussing female fertility, there’s often two extremes: either too much pressure is placed on women from an early age to lay out future family planning goals or there is a total disregard for age, medical conditions and family history that may play a role in your ability to conceive.
There’s a healthy balance between the two, and this balance depends on how women are educated about their fertility so they are empowered, not pressured, to make decisions about family planning goals from a point of education.
There’s a healthy balance between the two, and this balance depends on how women are educated about their fertility so they are empowered, not pressured, to make decisions about family planning goals from a point of education.
The providers at PGOMG understand why women may not feel like they can be in control of their fertility goals – much of the information available from family and friends can be well-intentioned, but factually misguided about how, when and why fertility decisions are made. We want our patients to feel confident in their healthcare decisions, so we’ve provided five important facts about female fertility to keep in mind, regardless of whether family building is in your near future or not.
We want our patients to feel confident in their healthcare decisions, so we’ve provided five important facts about female fertility to keep in mind, regardless of whether family building is in your near future or not.
- You don’t have to panic if you don’t get pregnant right away – Women under the age of 35 are advised to seek the opinion of their gynecologist and/or a fertility specialist only after one year has passed since they started trying to conceive. Women aged 35 and older are advised to wait six months before seeking a fertility consultation.
- An irregular period should not be ignored – Is your period irregular? Heavy? Light? Always late or always early? If so, please make an appointment with your PGOMG provider to discuss your menstrual cycle and any concerns you may have. Irregular periods are typically ignored as women are used to the idea that they just have to live with it, even if it interrupts their daily routine and lowers their quality of life. An irregular period can be indicative of an underlying health condition, which in turn can affect fertility.
- Sexual health impacts fertility – Certain STDs are responsible for infertility in both men and women. Poor sexual health can make it difficult to conceive and maintain a healthy pregnancy without fertility treatment. Regular STD testing is recommended and offered at PGOMG.
- Certain gynecological conditions are linked to infertility – Conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are linked to infertility and recurrent miscarriage. If you believe you have symptoms associated with either endometriosis or PCOS, or if you have already been diagnosed and wish to start trying for a pregnancy, please make an appointment with your PGOMG provider to discuss whether additional testing and/or treatment options are needed.
- If family planning goals are far off, you have options – For women who know they will want to build their families later in life, you have the option to freeze your eggs in order to preserve your fertility. Egg freezing allows women who have concerns about age and fertility or medical concerns (endometriosis, PCOS, cancer treatments, etc.) to freeze their eggs now and have them stored for later use when they are ready to get pregnant.
