1."Is it considered 'too late' for me to have a healthy baby after 35? How much does age really impact fertility?" —Anonymous
2."I have PCOS and never get natural periods. Does this mean I don’t ovulate?" —ciaraannlouisew
3."If you have had an eating disorder (anorexia in my case), and recover and regain your period, can you still have fertility issues?" —shapiro2024
4."Is it possible to get pregnant naturally after having a baby via IVF (with egg donor)? I still ovulate but just never was able to get pregnant with my own eggs." —tuckey
5."Is there a way to find out if your PCOS will affect your fertility? My aunt has it and had two kids with no issues. I'm wanting to have kids soon-ish and worried about it." —alexandrias4b738d852
6."Does blood type really matter when trying to conceive?" —jennies4783ed5b8
7."Did the vaccine actually affect fertility like some people say?" —fireowl333
8."I've been on the pill for almost 15 years now, starting when I was a teenager until a couple months ago. I know there are a lot of people out there who say extended use of the pill can decrease fertility in women. Is that true?" —peekocherry197
9."When doing IVF, can you explain how some people are able to find out and 'choose' the sex of their embryos?" —Anonymous
10."Is there anything that I (25 y/o female) can do right now to boost my fertility for having kids in the future?" —Anonymous
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Dr. Kristin Bendikson: The most important thing you can do to boost your fertility is to live a generally healthy life. Eating well and exercising to maintain a healthy weight is a good place to start. There is no perfect diet, but one easy thing you can do is eat organic foods; and if you can’t, then at least wash your fruits and vegetables well to get rid of pesticides. If you have medical issues, make sure you are working with your doctor to treat and manage them. Don’t pick up any toxic habits like smoking or excessive drinking that can be associated with infertility. Many toxic chemicals associated with both increased infertility and miscarriage. Try to avoid the use of plastics to avoid the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Buy clean beauty products that are less likely to have toxic ingredients. Most importantly, just learning about your future fertility potential and how it can change with age or in relation to other reproductive disorders is key. Learn more about your reproductive potential so that you can make smart choices about when to start having a baby and if freezing your eggs is an option you want to consider.
11."How much of an impact does your weight have on the effectiveness of IVF and other treatments?" —Anonymous
12."How can fibroids impact fertility?" —Anonymous
13."Is it possible to not ovulate in a monthly cycle? I’ve been using ovulation tests and some months the line never turns dark." —Anonymous
14."Is there any evidence to support the idea that terminating a pregnancy at a young age can cause any fertility issues in the future?" —Anonymous
15."How early should women check on their fertility? Are there signs we could be seeing in our teens or our early 20s that signal issues?" —Anonymous
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Dr. Kristin Bendikson: There is never a time that is too early to learn about your reproductive health. There are things that your doctor can pick up from your medical history even in your 20s that could play a role in your future fertility. Fertility starts declining around the age of 27 but other factors besides age are important to consider. You should consider speaking with a fertility specialist if you know you have a disease like endometriosis or PCOS, diseases that impact your ability to conceive, or if your mother or female relative had early menopause. Women who have painful periods, heavy periods, irregular periods, or have a history of pelvic infections and pelvic surgery may also have issues that could diminish fertility. Learning more about what might impact your future fertility is important at any age.
16."What impact do factors like the age of your first period, frequency of cycle, or genetics have on your fertility? If you have your first period on the earlier side, are you then doomed to experience menopause earlier in life as well?" —Anonymous
17."How much does cigarette smoking actually impact fertility? Obviously, I know that smoking is bad for your health all around but I've never found a clear answer regarding fertility specifically." —Anonymous
18."If the doctors tell you there is no reason why you haven’t conceived, how can you not conceive after two years of trying? How does that work? Any insight?" —Anonymous
19."If you do egg preservation, does that mean that you have fewer eggs in general and will go through menopause earlier? Would it potentially help with fertility related to endometriosis?" —Anonymous
20."Why is it more common for multiples to result from IVF/IUI pregnancies?" —Anonymous
21."I am trying to get pregnant after the depo shot. My periods have returned after seven months but has ovulation really started? How can I tell?" —Anonymous
22."How long should I be off birth control before trying to conceive?" —Anonymous
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