2018-04-17T11:59:00

(BPT) – Although it’s no secret a woman’s fertility decreases with age, how much do you actually know about what’s going on in your own body when it comes to fertility? With 1 in 2 millennials choosing to delay starting a family, it’s easy to overlook your fertility in your 20s. In fact, when researchers at the Yale School of Medicine surveyed 1,000 American women from 18 to 40 years old, they found that many women are unaware of factors that affect their fertility. Right here and now, let’s agree that being familiar with your body and aware of how your fertility works is an important part of preparing for the future you’ve dreamed about.

With the wisdom of hindsight, here is a list of things every twenty-something should know about their fertility:

1. Don’t assume your fertility is like everyone else’s

Fertility is a continuum, which means fertility declines at a different rate for each woman. So just because your cousin’s best friend’s aunt had children in her 40s doesn’t mean the same will be true for you. It’s important to understand what is going on in your body and what you need to support your journey.

2. Fertility is more than a numbers game

Simply having plenty of eggs doesn’t mean your fertility is healthy. “Fertility is a function of quantity (number of eggs) and quality (how the eggs perform),” says Dr. Brian Levine, practice director at CCRM (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine), one of the nation’s leading fertility centers. Egg quality is controlled by several factors; however, as women age their eggs are more at risk for having abnormal chromosomes that lower egg quality. This can affect whether fertilization will occur and is also the main cause of miscarriage.

3. Fertility is not negatively impacted by birth control

Contrary to what many people think, “there is no clinical evidence to support that being on birth control does anything to hurt a woman’s chances of getting pregnant,” Levine adds. If being on birth control in your 20s will make you feel more responsible and comfortable during the years you’re not looking to start a family, by all means go for it.

4. Fertility is an issue that affects men and women equally

Although society often overlooks this fact, the causes of infertility are typically 40 percent female-related, 40 percent male-related and 20 percent unknown. Translation: fertility is not just a woman’s issue. Knowing that fertility is a shared problem can ease the pressure on many women, who tend to feel responsible for fertility issues (and stress out about it, which can produce ovulation-halting hormones like cortisol and prolactin).

5. Lifestyle choices in your 20s will impact your fertility in your 30s

“A woman is born with all the eggs she’ll ever have,” explains Dr. Levine. “It is important to recognize that a healthy lifestyle in your 20s can greatly impact how you live your life in the 30s.” For example, avoiding foods like white rice and white sugar, which cause inflammation, as well as limiting toxic habits like too much alcohol will all positively impact a woman’s fertility down the road. For men, things like avoiding restrictive clothing that may increase body temperature, as well as avoiding marijuana can have a positive effect on fertility.

6. Get an evaluation

Since everyone’s fertility is different, if you’re like most millennials and delaying starting a family until later down the line, get an evaluation with a fertility doctor to give yourself the opportunity to make an informed decision about your future. You may find your fertility will be quite strong well into your 30s, or perhaps you may need to look into egg freezing or adjust your plan to start a family if your fertility is tracking low. Either way, educate yourself so that you can be prepared.