JAMA Clinical Reviews Ovarian Aging
Nov 26, 2024
In this insightful discussion, OBGYN and fertility specialist Albert L. Hsu, an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, addresses the critical issue of ovarian aging and its impact on fertility. He explores the decline in fertility rates among women over 35 and the biological factors at play, including mitochondrial defects. Hsu emphasizes the importance of educating women about their reproductive health and discusses proactive strategies like egg freezing to enhance future pregnancy chances.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Declining Fertility Rates and Increasing Age at First Birth
- The US fertility rate is declining, dropping from 71 births per 1,000 women in 1990 to 56 in 2022.
- The average age at first birth has increased, rising from 27 in 1990 to 30 in 2019.
Defining and Measuring Infertility
- Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected sex for women under 35, and six months for women over 35.
- The incidence of infertility has risen to one in six couples, with higher rates among specific groups like female physicians (one in four).
Ovarian Aging and Egg Depletion
- Women have a finite number of eggs, peaking at 7 million in utero and declining throughout life.
- By age 35, roughly 16,000 eggs remain, and few women conceive with their own eggs after 45.