Pregnancy Or Infertility After 40 Years?

Pregnancy or infertility after 40 years?

American scientists are conducting research aimed at refuting the common belief that women after 40 years are not able to get pregnant. They point to research in mice that shows that even old female mice have a huge number of reproductive follicles, and most of them retain their ability to reproduce.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School have questioned the established idea that a woman's egg count is determined at birth and gradually decreases with age. Because the bodies of mice and humans are so similar, it was believed that, like mice, women lose their reproductive abilities as they age. However, recent research has shown that mice are capable of reproducing until death, just like cats.

If scientists can prove that similar reproductive abilities are present in humans, it could not only change our understanding of the biology of egg development in women, but also help develop methods to extend the reproductive period in women.

Associate Professor of Reproductive Biology Jonathan Tilley was part of the team that discovered mouse cells that could restore and maintain the function of new follicle formation. Isolating, storing and then transplanting eggs could help cancer patients whose ovaries have been damaged by chemotherapy have children in the future. However, it is especially important for women to achieve an extension of the reproductive period, which usually ends at 30-40 years.

Tilly's team discovered the mouse cells by counting the number of healthy and dying follicles where mice's eggs mature throughout their lives. Despite the high rate of follicle loss with age, the female mice still retained healthy eggs for much longer than scientists previously thought. Now Tilley and his colleagues are trying to characterize these unique cells so they can later discover similar cells in humans. It is assumed that such cells can be extracted and frozen, and then transplanted into the ovaries of women, thereby stimulating the growth and maturation of follicles.

Although the study was conducted on mice, the results offer hope for women who want to become pregnant after 40 years of age. Nowadays, many women postpone pregnancy until later in life for various reasons, such as career advancement, financial stability or personal circumstances. However, age is one of the factors affecting a woman's fertility, since the quantity and quality of eggs deteriorates with age.

If it is proven that women also have reserves of follicles that can be activated and used to conceive, this could change the approach to reproductive medicine and provide new options for women facing infertility problems or postponing motherhood.

However, it should be noted that human studies have not yet been conducted, and scientists are just beginning to explore this area. It is important to realize that pregnancy after 40 years of age can be associated with additional risks and complications for both mother and child. Therefore, any new methods or techniques developed from these studies must be thoroughly validated and tested before they become available for practical use.

In conclusion, studies conducted on mice provide hope that the reproductive capabilities of women after 40 years of age can be maintained and even extended. However, before making any decisions regarding pregnancy at this age, it is important to contact qualified specialists in the field of reproductive medicine who can assess the individual characteristics of each woman and provide appropriate advice and recommendations.