I've chosen to be a sponsor for the Beautiful Babies contest, a national contest where parents can submit their babies' photos and win up to $5k (not to mention just the simple thrill of bragging rights!)
It may seem awkward, the Houston Fertility Center connecting to a competition where the thing our patients long for -- a baby -- is being celebrated. But I like to think of it as a healthy way to interact with the world. After all, babies -- all babies -- ARE beautiful. That's why we strive so hard to have our own. Aside from their extreme "cuteness factor" we're geared instinctively to appreciate our own offspring over any other of our lives' creations.
The other side of our sponsorship is that after all these years serving infertility patients, many people who come to our Center now are doing so to have another baby. We have a wall full of happy faces, and we thought this would be a delightful way for our patients, past and present, to share their joy (and maybe win big!) It's a lighthearted contest where friends and family are asked to vote for their favorites.
If you'd like to join in the fun, you'll need to submit your child's photo by this Friday, June 25. You can find out more details through this link. http://kiah.tribunepromotions.com/babies/
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
How Old Is Too Old?
Recently, a local colleague of mine was quoted in the media about having an "an age cutoff" for fertility treatment, specifically IVF. I thought I'd enter the field to air my own thoughts on the question of "how old is too old" for becoming a mom.
In my practice at Houston Fertility Center, I don't use any particular age to determine whether a woman is "too old" to use IVF. Mother Nature will determine when a patient's body is unable to conceive. So we explore the same related variables -- egg reserve, uterine health, hormone levels -- with every patient.
Our primary emphasis is on the health of the hopeful mother-to-be.
As for IVF using donor eggs, which allows women with low ovarian reserve to become pregnant, I find that women in the age range of 48 to 50 are starting to think again about the impact (of carrying a pregnancy) on both their health and the outcome for the baby. We presently don't have enough data to clearly determine all health issues for women over 50 years old who become pregnant. Research has clarified, however, that children born to mothers in their later years have a higher risk of a number of health conditions.
As with virtually every other facet of the conception picture, a woman's age must be taken into consideration, but primarily in the context of her present health condition.
For more of my thoughts on a woman's age and her fertility, see these blogposts, too:
The Other Side of the Age & Fertility Message
Trying to Get Pregnant After 30 - Time to Panic?
ASRM Embryo Guidelines Should Improve Overall Picture for Fertility Patients
In my practice at Houston Fertility Center, I don't use any particular age to determine whether a woman is "too old" to use IVF. Mother Nature will determine when a patient's body is unable to conceive. So we explore the same related variables -- egg reserve, uterine health, hormone levels -- with every patient.
Our primary emphasis is on the health of the hopeful mother-to-be.
As for IVF using donor eggs, which allows women with low ovarian reserve to become pregnant, I find that women in the age range of 48 to 50 are starting to think again about the impact (of carrying a pregnancy) on both their health and the outcome for the baby. We presently don't have enough data to clearly determine all health issues for women over 50 years old who become pregnant. Research has clarified, however, that children born to mothers in their later years have a higher risk of a number of health conditions.
As with virtually every other facet of the conception picture, a woman's age must be taken into consideration, but primarily in the context of her present health condition.
For more of my thoughts on a woman's age and her fertility, see these blogposts, too:
The Other Side of the Age & Fertility Message
Trying to Get Pregnant After 30 - Time to Panic?
ASRM Embryo Guidelines Should Improve Overall Picture for Fertility Patients
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