Conception and pregnancy talk for women of younger ages constantly focuses on contraception and how unwanted pregnancies can be thwarted before a woman is married. Our society obsesses over birth control and other forms of fertility prevention tools that will keep a woman from developing an unwanted pregnancy before she is ready to start family planning.
Though reliable and safe forms of contraception are always important, women have a better understanding of how to avoid a pregnancy instead of conceiving one these days. Society focuses on the amount of unwanted pregnancies that are conceived every year. That gives women an impression that it’s easy to get pregnant when timing is right for them.
Unfortunately, it is not that easy to get pregnant. Over 10% of women, ages 15 to 44, living in the U.S. right now are unable to conceive a child.
Societal Shift
A growing number of women are delaying family planning today to pursue education, careers, and other personal interests. Millennials are waiting longer to get married and start their families. Though women have every right to pursue the same kind of professional life as men, they unfortunately have a different timer set on their reproductive system.
The Female Clock
By the time a woman is 30, she only carries 12% of the egg follicles she was born with. By the time a woman is 35, her ability to conceive a healthy child and carry it to term begins to decline. Men are able to produce sperm with the same vitality throughout their entire lifetime. Women, on the other hand, are encouraged to conceive a child before they hit the 35-year-old mark.
Egg Freezing
Since women shouldn’t have to sacrifice their futures and careers, there’s a way for them to preserve healthy eggs during their peak fertility window. Freezing eggs means women don’t have to pressure themselves to have children when they are not emotionally and financially ready to start a family due to their personal circumstances. By being proactive about family planning before 35-years-old, women can preserve their chance of having biological children and keep the door open to any kind of family development they plan to pursue in the future.
FrzMyEggs
We believe that all women should be made aware of the option to preserve their eggs and the types of fertility services that are available to them. Our comprehensive, educational app comes with essential egg freezing information, an egg freezing calculator, and a personalized decision aid to guide decision-making. Just like the discussion surrounding birth control today, we believe that egg freezing deserve the same amount of public education and attention for responsible future family planning.
References
- “Why women’s eggs run out and what can be done about it,” The Conversation
- “7 things every woman should know before freezing her eggs,” PBS Newshour
- “Infertility,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention