Fertility in Your 30s: Why Fertility Declines with Age  

Women are born with a finite number of eggs that naturally decrease in quantity as they enter their 30s. Simultaneously, the quality of eggs also decreases due to hormonal and physiological changes. The natural decline in the quality and quantity of eggs leads to reduced fertility and difficulty in achieving pregnancy.  

Optimizing egg quality by incorporating healthy lifestyle choices is essential for women trying to conceive in their 30s. Men should also maintain a healthy lifestyle to improve sperm quality and quantity once they reach their middle 30s. This comprehensive guide about fertility, the importance of testing ovarian reserve, and natural methods for enhancing fertility is intended to inform and empower women to make the best decisions regarding fertility and pregnancy.  

Ovarian Reserve: Testing for Egg Quantity and Quality  

Ovarian reserve is the clinical term for the quantity and quality of eggs remaining in a woman's ovaries. Ovarian reserve testing is done with hormone tests and ultrasound imaging scans. Higher reserves suggest a better chance for conception, while diminished reserves may indicate reduced fertility.  

Health problems, genetics, a woman's age, and other factors can affect ovarian reserve. However, age is the primary reason for declining ovarian reserve. Research studies indicate that a woman's fertility begins decreasing around age 32 and significantly falls after age 37.  

Antral Follicle Count (AFC)  

The AFC test counts the number of tiny fluid-filled sacs called antral follicles in a woman's ovaries. These follicles, measuring between two and eight millimeters in diameter, contain immature eggs. Antral follicle counts are done via transvaginal ultrasound on or around day three of a woman's menstrual cycle. Doctors can estimate a woman's ovarian reserve by counting the antral follicles visible on the ultrasound scan.  

AFC test results can be low, medium, or high. Low results indicate a reduced ovarian reserve. A medium AFC result means conception is likely possible with assistance from medications. A high AFC result suggests no fertility enhancements may be necessary to conceive naturally.  

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)  

Produced by cells lining the follicles in the ovaries, AMH levels in the bloodstream correspond to the quantity of eggs in a woman's ovarian reserve. During their 20s, women have the highest amount of AMH in their bodies they will ever have. The average AMH level for 30-year-old women is around 2.5 ng/mL. By the time she is 35, the AMH level falls to 1.5 ng/mL.  

Most pharmacies sell self-administered AMH tests, which involve obtaining a blood sample through a finger prick and combining the sample with a chemical included in the test. Your doctor can also perform the test and recommend treatment options depending on the results.  

How to Boost Fertility in Your 30s Naturally  

Aging is the most common reason for declining fertility in one's 30s. Although age-related physiological changes in women cannot be reversed, they may be delayed and improved while a woman is trying to get pregnant.  

Specific medical issues, such as hormonal imbalances, endometriosis, or autoimmune disease, may also aggravate poor egg quality. When conceiving has been problematic, women should always visit their doctor for a complete blood count and examination to rule out causes of reduced fertility other than aging.  

Men and women trying to have a baby should always stop smoking and drinking alcohol. While drug abuse may not prevent a pregnancy from happening, it always creates high-risk situations involving miscarriage and congenital abnormalities.  

Lifestyle Factors That Can Impact Fertility for Both Men and Women  

Diet  

Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that support the health of sperm and egg cells. Unsaturated fats in nuts and fish promote sperm and hormone production. Legumes and whole grains provide the energy and fiber needed to produce and regulate essential hormones like estrogen and testosterone.  

Exercise  

Exercising regularly (walking, bicycling, swimming) maintains optimal hormone levels for sperm production and ovulation. It also stimulates the circulatory system to ensure reproductive organs receive plenty of nutrient-rich blood essential for functioning properly. As a natural stress reliever, exercising helps reduce cortisol levels in the body, which can interfere with fertility.  

Environmental Factors  

Daily exposure to environmental toxins may be unavoidable. However, toxins in household cleaners, pesticides, and other commonly used items can be avoided by eliminating or reducing them from your environment. Certain toxins may interfere with hormone production, impair reproductive organs, and impact egg and sperm quality.  

What Vitamins and Supplements are Known to Support Fertility and Egg Quality?  

Myo-inositol  

Myo-inositol helps support natural ovulatory function and egg quality. 

Bio-available Folate  

Bio-available Folate supports normal fetus and embryo development once pregnancy occurs.  

These vitamins and nutrients are available in one supplement with Premama®'s Conceive Products, specifically Premama® Fertility Support for Her and Premama® Fertility Support for Him.  

 Premama®’s Fertility Support for Her is a powder mix that supports fertility in women by combining myo-inositol, vitamin B12, and bio-available folate. It helps support normal ovulation, egg quality, and early fetal development. Premama®'s Conceive Products are especially beneficial for women who have recently stopped taking birth control pills. 

Most women experience a 28-day menstrual cycle, give or take a few days. The cycle begins with the shedding of the uterine lining, which causes bleeding for several days. Once estrogen levels rise, one egg will mature inside an ovarian follicle. Around mid-cycle, luteinizing hormone triggers the release of the mature egg for possible fertilization by male sperm. If fertilization does not occur, the egg dissolves, and the uterus prepares to shed its lining again.  

To identify the most fertile menstrual cycle days, a woman needs to track her basal body temperature and purchase an over-the-counter ovulation predictor kit to detect surges in luteinizing hormone before ovulation. Body temperature decreases slightly before ovulation and rises after ovulation. Ovulation predictor kits contain items for testing urine, a reasonably accurate method for measuring luteinizing hormone.  

Options When Ovarian Reserve is Diminished  

As more women delay starting families until their 30s, various techniques are readily available to improve the quality of their ovarian reserves. For example, egg freezing allows a woman's eggs to be safely stored and fertilized at a desired date.  

In vitro fertilization (IVF) fertilizes eggs with sperm outside the body. Once embryos form, they are implanted in the uterus, and the woman experiences a normal pregnancy afterward.  

 Seeking advice from fertility specialists can help you make an informed decision about your fertility options. Learning as much as possible about the causes of poor egg quality and reduced ovarian reserve and how to boost fertility in your 30s and beyond will enable you to determine your next step towards achieving pregnancy.  

 For answers to your questions about our fertility support products, please email us at hello@premamawellness.com or tag us on Instagram @premamawellness.