As more women choose to pursue careers and become mothers at a later age, the old birds-and-bees thing seems increasingly complicated. After 35, a woman’s finite number of viable eggs diminishes, her ovaries may not function optimally, she may have a health condition that places her in a high-risk category, her husband may have a low sperm count, or — according to numerous studies — she may be too skinny (low fat levels lead to estrogen-deficiency) or too overweight (which alters levels of hormones and insulin) to conceive easily or at all.
The longer a woman waits to conceive, the harder it becomes; and the dangers increase for both mother and child. According to The March of Dimes and WebMD.com, by age 35, a woman’s infertility rate jumps to 25 percent; at 40, it’s 70 percent, and as she approaches 43 and older, it jumps to 97 percent. Hence the boom in in-vitro fertilization techniques and adoptions.
In his revised-and-updated book, How to Get Pregnant, Sherman J. Silber, M.D. (www.infertile.com), an internationally renowned pioneer of infertility treatment who made headlines in 2004 with the first-ever ovary transplant between twin sisters, has all the answers. From the basics of getting pregnant to the most remarkable new breakthroughs in infertility treatment, this highly readable book tells you everything you want to know.
What Can You Do?
If you’re having trouble getting pre-gnant, what can you do?
Some studies indicate that couples experiencing infer-tility, but who made changes in their life-style, diet and took nutritional supplements, had an 80 percent pregnancy success. The supplements suggested — but only under the guidance of your doctor or a nutritionist — are: folic acid, B-complex, zinc, selenium, essential fatty acids and vitamin C. The Female Hormone Saliva Test is helpful in determining if your hormones are in balance. It’s designed for women with menstrual irregularities, difficulties with ovulation, infertility and premenstrual syndrome. It can be accessed at www.testmyhormones.com.
Drinking alcohol can reduce your fertility by half and decreases the sperm count.
If six or eight months go by with no success, think about consulting a fertility expert. Most important, don’t give up hope.
Related Books
How to Get Pregnant
by Dr. Sherman J. Silber (Little Brown & Company, $18.99).
The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies
by Randine Lewis (Little, Brown & Company, $12).
The Empty Picture Frame: An Inconceivable Journey Through Infertility
by Jenna and Mike Nadeau (Outskirts Press, $14)
Joan Swirsky is a psychotherapist, former OB nurse and Lamaze teacher,
and author of Gift of Life: A Spiritual Companion for the Mother-to-Be.