A lot of women out there still think that fertility is something to think about only when they are ready to start a family. Until then, it’s seen as something there’s very little reason to learn about. The thing is, fertility planning has never been described as just for people actively trying to conceive. You should certainly consider planning for your fertility before you think about having children. In fact, it may actually be better to start planning as soon as you can, given how it helps you to identify potential health concerns, explore your future options, and make informed decisions based on concrete information rather than assumptions. Instead of shooting arrows in the dark, let’s dive a little deeper into how you can understand your fertility ahead of time and what you need to do to get started right away.
Why should you start your fertility planning early?
As mentioned at the start, one main reason to look into your fertility as early as possible is to gain valuable insight into your reproductive system while there is still plenty of time to act on the results. More than that, it’s just important to establish a baseline for your fertility. Even though fertility naturally changes with age for everyone, every woman’s biological makeup is going to be wildly different.
Getting an assessment, then, gives you a clearer picture of your ovarian reserve, hormone levels, and overall reproductive health. More importantly, going through such tests leaves you with concrete, personalised data. This data, in turn, can be used during discussions with your doctors as you figure out your future options and treatment paths.
As for when you should book a fertility test, right away, to be honest, as you don’t need to be actively trying for a baby to benefit from such a test, women generally book them for a few key reasons: they either plan to delay pregnancy, have irregular periods, have a family history of early menopause, have any health conditions, or want more information on their body.
They usually begin with a discussion with your doctor about your medical history, menstrual cycle, lifestyle, and family history. From there, you may have blood tests to measure certain hormones in your body, a transvaginal ultrasound to examine your uterus and ovaries, and, in specific cases, advanced tests like a hysterosalpingogram to check the health of your fallopian tubes.
Planning things early also allows you to explore things like fertility preservation if parenthood isn’t part of your immediate plans. Your reason can be anything- career, education, travel, or simply a bit of indecisiveness at the moment. Whatever the case may be, if you’re considering egg freezing in London at The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, having this discussion sooner rather than later offers you greater flexibility and higher chances of success in the future.
It’s important to identify any health conditions that could affect your fertility later down the line. Problems such as endometriosis, PCOS, thyroid disorders, or irregular menstrual cycles can sometimes be picked up way before they ever begin causing any significant difficulty during conception. Diagnosing them early will allow you to treat them not only more quickly but also much more easily than in the future.
What other factors should you consider in your fertility planning?
A lot of people don’t realise it, but your lifestyle is going to be one of the core deciding factors for how easily you can conceive in the future. Our bad habits do tend to weigh on the body over time, and fertility is no exception to their impact. Fortunately, getting things in order here is quite simple, really. You need to maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking, limit your alcohol intake, and manage those stress levels effectively. Focus on adding these changes in your life little by little. Combined, they will all go a long way toward supporting your overall well-being and contributing to healthier fertility.
In addition, you will have to consider your medical history, as surgeries, infections, and chronic diseases can all harm your fertility. Even certain medications need to be ruled out if you’re on a routine. For now, however, you need to discuss these factors with your fertility doctor to prevent any of them becoming an obstacle later in life.
It’s also super important to take your partner’s reproductive health into account, though you can also save it for the future. Just remember that, when the time comes, your doctors will need to assess both you and them to get an idea of your chances of a successful pregnancy.
When do women generally start thinking of pregnancy?
Frankly, there is no single timeline for pregnancy that everyone can follow. Some start thinking of having children as early as they enter their twenties, while others wait until they are well into their mid-thirties for different reasons. Biologically, female fertility does gradually decline with age, with a noticeable hit from the mid-thirties. Not that you cannot conceive after that point, but your options will start becoming a little more limited as time goes on. This, again, is part of the reason why you need to start at least thinking of your fertility right now and get information.
Planning this part of your life before you’re ready for children does not mean jumping into parenthood unprepared. All you’re being asked to do, at this point, is understand your reproductive system and document your options for the future carefully. That begins with taking this first step and starting an early conversation with a doctor you can trust. The clarity, reassurance, and plan that will come from that single conversation alone will be enough to support your future goals. Once you start this journey, once you start planning your fertility and take everything else into account, you may not guarantee your chance at having a baby. You will be much more prepared for everything else that will come your way and your partner’s way in the future. That, on its own, is enough for now.