This is from the horse’s mouth so-to-speak. In an article in the Des Moines Register, Courtney Crowder tells a personal story from an unwanted pregnancy as a teen to an eight year struggle with infertility when older.
“WHO-TV anchor Erin Kiernan got pregnant at 16.
When she decided to have another baby at 33, she discovered she had a fertility problem.
Now, just six weeks from having a child after years of artificial inseminations and in vitro fertilizations, Kiernan said she tells young women to take preemptive steps in regards their reproductive health.
“I say it’s fantastic if you want to focus on your career, but if you think you want kids, do something to deal with this now,” said Kiernan, 41. “I tell people to go get their eggs frozen and to be pro-active about it because if you’re not, you don’t know what will happen.”
But before taking any physical action, young women should understand the realities of their reproductive system, said Dr. Ginny Ryan, a physician at the University of Iowa’s Center for Advanced Reproductive Care.
“No matter how healthy you are, your eggs age regardless,” she said. “Fertility declines every year just naturally and it becomes quite difficult to get pregnant on your own after 40.
“I’m very pleased that in this day and age women seek higher education and go after careers and it’s great to make sure you find the right partner,” she continued, “but that also means a lot of people will put off having babies.”
Given eggs’ natural aging process, there isn’t much a woman can do maintain fertility, though it is important to stay healthy and not smoke, Ryan said.
Young women who are especially concerned can explore a variety of female fertility preservation options, she added, including freezing eggs.
Frozen eggs “remain at the age they were when they were frozen,” she said. “If you can afford it, and you want the peace of mind, it can be worth it.”
Outside of those with a diagnosis potentially harmful to their reproductive abilities, Ryan said rarely sees young women interested in freezing eggs.
Here is Erin’s complete story.