The Influence of Aging Fertility on Embryos
With the development of society and the progress of science and technology, more and more women choose to conceive and give birth at an older age. However, the aging fertility will have a certain impact on the embryo. This article will elaborate the influence of old age fertility on embryos from fertility, embryo quality, genetic diseases and maternal health.
Decline in fertility
With the growth of age, women's fertility will gradually decline. This is because the number and quality of female eggs will decrease over time. It is generally believed that the probability of women giving birth after the age of 35 will gradually decrease, especially after the age of 40. This means that older women may need more time to conceive, or they may need to adopt assisted reproductive technology to achieve pregnancy.
In addition, the menstrual cycle of elderly women is not regular enough, and ovulation function is more vulnerable to be affected. This may reduce the chance of pregnancy, thus affecting the formation and development of embryos.
Decreased embryo quality
A significant effect of aging on fertility is the decline of embryo quality. Research shows that with the growth of women's age, the implantation rate and survival rate of embryos will decline. This may be related to the decline of egg quality.
The decrease in egg quality is usually manifested by an increase in chromosomal abnormalities. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities in eggs increases with age. This may lead to chromosome abnormalities in embryos, increasing the risk of early abortion, embryo termination and congenital malformations.
In addition, elderly women may have potential chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, which will affect the blood supply and nutrition of embryos and further affect the quality and development of embryos.
Increased risk of genetic diseases
Older childbearing also increases the risk of genetic diseases in embryos. This is because the decline in the quality of female eggs will increase the possibility of chromosomal abnormalities, which will lead to an increase in the probability of embryos carrying genetic diseases.
The most common chromosomal abnormality is Down syndrome (trisomy 21 syndrome). The study found that the probability of Down syndrome in pregnant women over 35 years old was significantly increased. In addition, older women are also prone to other genetic diseases, such as neurofibromatosis, muscular dystrophy and congenital heart disease.
Therefore, older women should carry out a series of genetic counseling and screening before pregnancy to understand the risk of disease, and do a good job in prenatal diagnosis and screening to reduce the birth rate of embryos suffering from genetic diseases.
Increased risk of maternal health
Older childbearing may also pose certain risks to the health of pregnant women. Older pregnant women are more likely to suffer from some chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and pregnancy complications. These diseases may affect the development of embryos and the health of pregnant women.
For example, hypertension and diabetes increase the risk of premature birth and birth defects. The heart and kidney functions of pregnant women will also be burdened to some extent, increasing the incidence of complications during pregnancy.
In addition, older pregnant women are also prone to special pregnancy related diseases such as osteoporosis during pregnancy and depression during pregnancy.
Summary
To sum up, the impact of elder childbearing on embryos is mainly reflected in the decline of fertility, the decline of embryo quality, the increased risk of genetic diseases and the increased risk of maternal health. Therefore, before giving birth at an advanced age, women should fully understand these risks and receive comprehensive consultation and examination in professional hospitals to ensure their own and embryo health.
