How Long Should I Wait?

Here we are well into 2014, and I'm just making my first post of the year.

During my daily peruse of CNN.com, I came across a very interesting article titled -- The 'Big Lie' in Putting Off Pregnancy.  Of course, I was intrigued so I dove in.  After reading the second paragraph, I wanted to give Tanaya Selvaratnam, author of The Big Lie:  Motherhood, Feminism and the Reality of the Biological Clock, the world's biggest high five!

*graph from Management of the Infertile Woman

Like me, she believes in the importance of promoting fertility awareness EARLY.  If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: Women need to understand the full scope of their fertility BEFORE struggles with infertility begin.  "If we know better, we do better." That's what Oprah says, right?  Gaining fertility awareness early, allows women to make the best choices for themselves and their future families.

You should definitely check out the article, but here are a few thought-provoking quotes:

• "Forty may be the new 30, but our ovaries have not gotten the same makeover.  Even with all the advances in reproductive technology, our eggs have a finite shelf life and the odds of having a child over 40 years old are shockingly slim."
• "According to the Southern California Center for Reproductive Medicine, a woman in her 20's has a 20-25% chance of conceiving naturally per menstrual cycle.  In her early 30's, the chance of pregnancy is 15% per cycle.  After 35, the odds of pregnancy without medical intervention are at 10%.  After 40, that number falls to 5%, and women after 45 have a 1% chance of conception."  
• "18% of women in the United States don't have children by the end of their childbearing years." 
• "The single most important factor affecting the chances of a successful pregnancy through Assisted Reproductive Technologies is a woman's age." 

The next thing on my to do list?  Read Tanya's book.  Looking forward to it!