I remember sitting in one of my college lectures on
reproductive health.  My professor at the
time stated that the prime age for a woman to have a baby is 18 or early 20’s.  Who, at 18, is mentally and emotionally ready
to raise a child? I know I wasn’t.  But,
our bodies at that age are ripe enough to handle the effects of pregnancy and
birth, and snap right back without or with few issues.
Before my time -way before my time – it was okay for women
to not complete high school or continue onto college,  in order to get married and start a family,
and anything otherwise was not normal.  These
days, many women postpone starting families until they’re settled in their
careers, which can be as old as 35 years old.  And most women do not find themselves in
meaningful and strong relationships until their late 20s/early 30s.  While you were gaining life experience, your
eggs continued to mature as well — and now they’re showing their age.

35 is the beginning of Advanced Maternal Age.  

“The odds of having a baby with Down syndrome
are over one in 1,000 for women in their 20s, but increases to less than one in
100 among women in their 40s.” Resolve.org

It’s important for everyone, no matter their age, to take
charge of their health including their reproductive health.  Don’t listen to people who tell you that you
have time.  The older you are, the
slimmer your options.  Ask questions now
even if you’re single and just dating. It’s important to know, especially if
having children in the future is something you want.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine,
you should seek the care of a specialist if you are unable to achieve pregnancy
after 12 months of unprotected intercourse and the women is under the age of
35, six months if the women is more than 35 years of age. You should also seek
the care of a specialist if you have had more than one miscarriage.