The Influence of Aging Fertility on Embryo Quality
With the development of society and the progress of medical technology, more and more women choose to postpone childbearing and postpone the age of marriage and childbearing. Elderly childbearing refers to the second or first pregnancy of a woman over 35 years old. However, there is no consensus on whether there is a relationship between aging and embryo quality. This article will discuss the influence of aging on embryo quality from different perspectives.
1. Aging of egg quality
With the increase of age, the quality of female eggs will gradually decline, which is one of the main reasons for the poor quality of older fertile embryos. Women have all their eggs at birth, and these eggs will be affected by natural aging as they grow older. Research shows that the egg quality of older women is more likely to have chromosomal abnormalities than that of young women, which will increase the risk of embryo carrying chromosomal abnormalities.
In addition, the number of eggs of elderly women will also gradually decrease, which may lead to the decline of fertilization rate and implantation rate. The decrease in the number of eggs will also increase the risk of abnormal ovulation and ovarian dysfunction, thus affecting the development and quality of embryos.
2. Changes in uterine environment
With the growth of age, the uterine environment of women will also change, affecting the growth and development of embryos. Factors such as decreased endometrial thickness, decreased myometrial elasticity, and slow blood circulation may have negative effects on embryo implantation and development. In addition, the supply capacity of endometrial nutrients may also decrease with age, reducing the energy and nutrient absorption of embryos.
In addition, the diseases and medication of elderly women will also affect the uterine environment. For example, chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and long-term use of certain drugs may have adverse effects on the uterine environment, thereby affecting the quality of embryos.
3. Increased risk of genetic abnormalities in embryos
The risk of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses is significantly increased among women who have given birth at an advanced age, especially those over 35 years old. The chromosome of female egg is easy to be abnormal in the process of division, leading to the occurrence of embryo chromosome abnormalities. Embryos with chromosomal abnormalities are prone to increase the incidence of abortion, premature delivery and congenital diseases in children.
The normal rate of chromosomes in young women is usually more than 90%, while the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in women over 35 years old will increase significantly. This is also one of the important reasons for the decline in the quality of older fertile embryos.
4. Possibility of gene mutation
After years of metabolism and the influence of external factors, the possibility of gene mutation will also increase in the uterus cells of elderly women who give birth. Different from the influence of embryo chromosome abnormality, gene mutation usually refers to the mutation or deletion of some gene sequences, which may cause changes in gene expression in the embryo.
Gene mutation has an important impact on the quality and development of embryos. Some gene mutations may lead to problems such as embryonic dysplasia, organ malformation or dysfunction. Therefore, women who give birth at an advanced age have a higher risk of producing embryos with gene mutations.
Summary
To sum up, the elderly fertility has a significant impact on embryo quality. The aging of egg quality, the change of uterine environment, the increased risk of genetic abnormalities of embryos and the possibility of gene mutation will all lead to the decline of the quality of older embryos. Therefore, it is of great significance for the elderly women who have given birth to understand these influencing factors, as well as actively improve their lifestyle, strengthen physical examination and premarital eugenics inspection, to reduce the risk of embryo quality decline.
