Periods Starting A Lot Later Than Average And It's Consequences.

[Jenarry]

Something I've just started wondering about recently.
I started my periods a lot later than all my friends. I had actually finished school and they started just a few weeks before my 16th birthday.
I'm now in my forties and trying for a baby but concerned about our reduced fertlilty with our age.
would my periods starting that bit later have any standing with my fertility at this stage of life (ie me being more fertile than someone who started their periods aged 11) or would it not make any difference?

[Lie-in King]

Hi Jenarry - not really my field & I'm sure you'll get more helpful answers if you repost or nudge this thread in the morning, but is this of any use for now?

http://tinyurl.com/qhfnppj

I wish you & your partner all the best :-)

[Sqad]

Not my field of expertise, but the answer is fairly clear.

Late onset menstruation does not affect your fertility.

However, very occasionally, very occasionally an underlying medical condition which caused your late onset menopause e.g polycystic disease or perhaps an under active thyroid, may affect your fertility.

[ummmm]

What has the menopause got to do with the question?

[Sqad]

Typo....as you well know.

[ummmm]

No, I didn't know, that's why I asked.

[Sqad]

"underlying medical condition which caused your late onset menopause e.g polycystic disease or perhaps an under active thyroid, may affect your fertility. "

Late onset menopause should have read...late onset menstruation.

[ganesh]

I don't know if there is any research on this, but I don't ever remember hearing about late 'starters' having any connection with fertility, and I can't see any logic in that theory at all.
I was 16 when I started and I had two children, my second when I was 38 and had no trouble conceiving (took a couple of months both times).
It is more difficult to get pregnant in your 40s and we all know that it is riskier to leave it until then.

[ummmm]

I was told at school that periods are likely to start between 13 and 16. Under 13 is more unlikely.

[ganesh]

Yep, me too , but the average starting age is definitely getting younger, I don't think anyone knows why.

[atalanta]

I'm guessing that puberty is beginning earlier because girls ( and everyone else) are drinking water contaminated by female hormones from the Pill and HRT which the water companies cannot remove from recycled water.

[pixie373]

It's supposed to be down to a better diet, I think? Jenarry, have you had a scan for polycystic ovaries?

[pusskin]

My mum was almost 18, and hadnt ever had a period, and she went on to have 10 children.

[soapnumpty]

I can't answer your question but wish you luck. I wondered about this as I'm the opposite of you.(no not a man!). My periods started at 11 and I had trouble conceiving in my 30's. I eventually had a baby at 36 through IVF. I remember having a blood test to see how many eggs I had left, and it was less than the doctor would expect for my age. I wonder if that was because I started my periods earlier than normal so I had used more up. If you haven't already, go and see your GP and start having some tests. Good luck.

[Prudie]

I did think we were born with all the eggs we'd ever have so logically the earlier you start the earlier you'll run out but getting pregnant is dependent on lots of other factors so this is irrelevant probably.

[Jenarry]

Thanks everyone. That was my train of thought really that we have x amount of eggs so if I had started periods later will my chance of pregnancy be slightly better than someone who started their periods 2 or 3 years before me.
I know we can get pregnant as I was pregnant last summer but I miscarried at 13 weeks . we became pregnant without really trying then but now sadly nothing is happening regardless of watching dates ,ovulation testing etc. I read somewhere recently that by my age ( 43 ) that you have little chance of getting pregnant which I found very disheartening as we want it so much.
I asked my GP about it last week but he wasn't very helpful. He just said we would need to be trying for a year before they would check us out.

[HeatherThompson]

If you and your partner smoke, drink alcohol, do unhealthy stuff like sleeping too late or eating too much, then it’s time for a lifestyle change to become physically healthier and boost your fertility. Exercise more, eat right, and get better sleep. Men also need to do away with habits like working with their laptop on their lap. And if both of you take maintenance medications, consult a specialist like or you can visit https://www.azarh.com/ and ask which ones may affect your fertility especially at your age.