Author : Dr. P. D.GUPTA
Former Director Grade Scientist, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
www.daylife.page
When a Female Baby Becomes Woman?
Woman hood is the period in a human female's life after she has passed through childhood, puberty, and adolescence. Different countries have different laws, but age 18 is frequently considered the age of majority (the age at which a person is legally considered an adult). A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, the ability to get pregnant starts to decline. This decline becomes more rapid once she reaches mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely for most women.
Advantages in Entering in the Phase of Womanhood
The spelling of the Latin word Femina was changed in the 14th century in order to associate the idea of the female with the male. The facts that 85%–90% of centenarians are women and those older women are, compared to men, more able to live with age-related diseases rather than die from them all speak to the realization that there are significant differences between men and women in the biological mechanisms that underlie healthy aging. Technically, women can get pregnant and bear children from puberty when they start getting their menstrual period to menopause when they stop getting it. In fact the Great poet who wrote Ramcharitmanas, Saint Tulsidas also said in this epic (in the chapter Sunderkand) that a woman has every right to have “Prasav Peeda” at the right age. The average woman’s reproductive years are between 12 and 51years; this is the Childbearing age for the women.
Women’s fertility naturally declines as she gets older, which could make it harder for a woman to conceive. The biological clock really starts ticking at age 32, when doctors can detect a decline in egg quality and, therefore, fertility, gynaecologists say so. Every year after 32, chances of having a baby drop. While it's true that fertility begins to decline for most people in their mid-30s, one can still become pregnant later in life.
Fertility Affected by age
Getting pregnant at later in life could pose greater risks for pregnancy complications. Experts say the best time to get pregnant is between late 20s and mid 30s. This age range is associated with the best outcomes for both the mother and the baby. One study pinpointed the ideal age to give birth to a first child early 30s.
Women are born with all the eggs they’ll ever have — about 2 million of them. The number of eggs gradually falls over the years. By age 37, a woman will have about 25,000 eggs left and by age 51, only have 1,000 eggs left. That might still sound like a lot of eggs, but the quality of the left over eggs also goes down with age. Also the chances of getting pregnant decrease as one gets older. After three months of trying, your odds of conceiving are as follows:
• 18 percent at age 25
• 16 percent at age 30
• 12 percent at age 35
• 7 percent at age 40
Because of these factors, the fertility begins to gradually decline at around age 32. Starting between 35 and 37, fertility begins to drop more quickly.
Other factors may reduce the chances of getting pregnant and therefore should be avoided:
smoking
cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy pelvic infection
risk for developing conditions that can negatively impact fertility, like endometriosis and tubal disease, also increases with age.
Risks of getting pregnant at age 35 and older
Starting at age 35, these pregnancy risks become more common:
• gestational diabetes
• high blood pressure
• placental abnormalities
• miscarriage
• premature birth
• stillbirth
• need for a cesarean delivery
• heavy bleeding after delivery
• infant low birth weight
• chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome
Benefits of delaying starting a family
Age is just not only the factor that should go into couple’s decision to have a child. One also need to consider emotional and financial readiness to start a family. The couple can become more financially secure as have more time to save up money.
Age can also bring wisdom, patience and establish relationship. Holding off on pregnancy might have advantages for you, as well. A study conducted in 2012 suggested that women who gave birth to their last or only child at age 40 or older had a lower risk for uterine cancer.
To conclude, the timing for having a baby is unique for each couple. Waiting to start a family can have some benefits. (The author has his own study and views)
