Older Women

Older women who want to conceive all share the core issues of ovarian reserve and egg quality, in addition to any other fertility problem they may have. While it’s impossible to increase ovarian reserve, it is possible to improve egg quality. Pregnancy rates, the health of children and the risk of miscarriage all revolve around the issue of egg (and sperm) quality.

When a couple wants to get pregnant naturally, we suggest they both commit to an agreed plan that maximises their chances of success. This plan is based on improving the health of their personal fertility profiles (PFPs), appreciating personal nutritional needs and getting supportive treatment. Not all couples will get pregnant naturally, but they will be healthier, and if they choose to pursue an IVF option, the process will improve their chances of success, which may involve donor eggs.

Egg Quality

The recruitment process from an immature egg in a primordial follicle to a mature egg at ovulation takes a year. During this time, the egg and follicle grow massively, but very few reach the last stages of growth, and fewer eggs reach the last stages of growth after a woman’s mid-30s. This is partly due to lifestyle factors, the eggs being less “fresh” as they’re older, nutritional deficiencies, and the accumulation of toxins.

The Plan

The plan is to improve what you have by minimising the things that reduce egg quality and maximising the things that enhance it. The advice assumes money and access to tests aren’t issues, and although they may be, this is much less expensive than any IVF option.

Factors	Considerations
Lifestyle	Follow the advice for your PFPs, especially the advice for Energy Assess the balance of activity and rest Minimise exposure to toxins: so no new sofa covered in fire retardants!
Diet	Follow the advice for your PFPs, especially the advice for Energy
Nutrition	Get a personal assessment of your need so you can optimise what you have. This is crucial as taking supplements “blind” may do more harm than good. The testing we offer is able to reveal nutritional and digestive issues that affect personal fertility Once you know your nutritional needs, you can supplement safely Eat local, seasonal and organic as much as possible Avoid sugary foods and too many carbohydrates as they increase oxidative stress
Stress	Follow the PFP advice for reducing stress and balancing the autonomic nervous system Tests are available to measure oxidative stress, which significantly impacts egg quality and numbers
Herbs	Research shows ovarian function and hormone balance can be improved with herbal combinations. This includes lower FSH levels and more egg numbers for older women Personalised herbal combinations are twice as effective as IVF for unexplained infertility for women of all ages
Treatments	Acupuncture and massage are excellent ways to balance the body and improve fertility, with multiple research articles supporting the role of acupuncture in improving ovarian function and stress levels

The other crucial factor is your man; his sperm contribute 50% of the baby, and half of a couple’s infertility is statistically down to the man. Getting him “onboard” will make a huge difference in improving the health of his sperm and the pregnancy. It’s a lot easier to measure male fertility and how it changes with supplements etc. The same principles apply to female fertility, and how it works is explained in older men.

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