Act now: Your fertility in your 30s is rapidly changing

Women in their early 30s have, on average, a 15% to 20% chance of getting pregnant each month. However, after the age of 35, female fertility starts to decline rapidly. Between age 30 and 40, your ability to get pregnant decreases by half. To determine what your fertility in your 30s is, our San Antonio fertility doctors will determine whether you ovulate regularly, make sure that your uterus and fallopian tubes are normal, and confirm that your male partner has a normal semen analysis.

Since most couples will conceive within one year of trying, specialists will advise fertility testing and treatment after one year without success. But, don’t wait longer than six months if you’re already older than 35, or if you have irregular cycles, a history of medical problems related to fertility, or a family history of early menopause.

Whether you suspect that you have a problem conceiving or you just want to make sure that everything is OK, consider contacting our San Antonio fertility doctors. They can answer your questions about fertility and provide you with the peace of mind to try on your own or, if necessary, begin fertility treatment on your schedule.

Leading a healthy lifestyle can boost fertility in your 30s

In your 30s, it’s still important to take a daily folic acid supplement, maintain a healthy weight, limit caffeine and alcohol, and eliminate risky sexual behavior and cigarette smoking. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle optimizes fertility in your 30s by establishing the healthiest environment for a healthy pregnancy.

Understanding ovulation is essential

Eggs are only useable for about 24 hours of the month, so timing is everything when you’re trying to get pregnant. Having sex every one to three days leading up to ovulation day should provide enough opportunities for sperm to be present when the egg is released. An egg can be fertilized for 12 to 24 hours after ovulation, while sperm can live for three to five days.

There are several ways to determine when you ovulate, or release an egg.

• Ovulation prediction kits (OPKs): OPKs measure luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in your urine to help you know when your brain is sending the signal for ovulation. The kits are easy to use, usually inexpensive, and 90+% accurate. They can be difficult to use for women who have irregular cycles or PCOS, so they are not advised in those circumstances.
• Period-trackers /fertility apps: Many apps provide calendars that can interface with inputs about menstrual bleeding, intercourse and sometimes even OPKs, to estimate when you might ovulate. Remember, phones are great at detecting patterns, but they don’t have a way to know what’s actually happening inside your body.
• Basal body temperature testing: Shortly after ovulation, your body releases a hormone called progesterone, which causes your body temperature to rise by about 0.5 to 1 degree. You can use a basal thermometer to track ovulation over several months by taking your temperature every morning before you get out of bed. If your temperature rises and remains elevated for 10 to 14 days, you probably ovulated. However, this is the least effective method of detecting ovulation, since it’s a “backwards” or retrospective assessment, and temperatures can vary widely depending on illness, being up at night, poor sleep, nightshift work, and other factors.

Seek help from our San Antonio fertility doctors to optimize fertility

If you’re struggling with fertility in your 30s, our San Antonio fertility doctors have many treatment options available to you. As part of a comprehensive fertility evaluation, Drs. Munch and Hudson will advise testing for your male partner to get the complete picture of infertility and potential treatment options.

Depending on your situation, they may offer intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). If hormonal testing reveals that you have diminished ovarian reserve (issues with the quantity of your remaining eggs), they may suggest more aggressive treatment, depending on your age and family-building goals. Rarely, women in their 30s may benefit from IVF with donor eggs.

To improve fertility in your 30s, seek help from one of our San Antonio fertility doctors sooner rather than later. Contact Texas Fertility Center to arrange for a consultation.