Is Putting Off Pregnancy The Best Idea?

An article in the Los Angeles Times recently touted the benefits of the economic recession in terms of women delaying pregnancy.

While I believe that there are certainly advantages (as described by the author) to later-aged motherhood, I think we need to tread carefully when discussing the impact of age on fertility in general.

The majority of women (and men) have no idea what their body's fertility status is until they try to conceive. Unfortunately for some, the news is not only alarming but comes too late for them to take advantage of treatment in an optimal way.

Of the many causes for infertility, many (perhaps most) are not age-related, it's true. But that rosy perspective can work in reverse -- if a woman's not ovulating or if her tubes are blocked, it doesn't matter how old she is: she won't get pregnant without assistance.

While we're looking for silver linings to the recession's dark cloud, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.