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Washington: Working
women often postpone motherhood without realising its deleterious
consequences, relying instead on reproductive technologies to
restore their childbearing capacity, says a study.
"There is an alarming misconception about fertility among women,"
said Pasquale Patrizio, professor of obstetrics & gynaecology at
Yale School of Medicine and director of the Yale Fertility Centre.
"We also found a lack of knowledge about steps women can take
early in their reproductive years to preserve the possibility of
conception later in life," added Patrizio.
The report stemmed from the observations Patrizio and colleagues
made that more women are coming to the fertility clinic at age 43
or older expecting that pregnancy can be instantly achieved, and
they're disappointed to learn that it can't be done easily, the
journal Fertility and Sterility reported.
"We are really seeing more and more patients 'upset' after failing
in having their own biological child after age 43, so we had to
report on this," said Patrizio.
"Their typical reaction is, 'what do you mean you cannot help me?
I am healthy, I exercise, and I cannot have my own baby?'" he
said.
These women delay pregnancies in their most fertile years for a
variety of reasons, such as focusing on careers, lack of financial
stability, or not having a partner, said a university statement.
They are vaguely aware that fertility decreases with age, but it
is only when they experience age-related infertility firsthand
that they begin to understand the reality of their situation, note
the researchers.
The growing popularity of assisted reproductive technologies (ART)
has given women the impression that female fertility may be
manipulated at any stage in life, noted Patrizio, who said the
problem is exacerbated due to images of celebrities who seem to
effortlessly give birth at advanced ages.
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