I was glad to see your article on Mother’s Day about older moms (“More U.S. women waiting to have children,” May 11). Having adopted our second child at age 39, I fall into that category.

What wasn’t available to me 20 years ago that is available now is fertility preservation via egg freezing.

You mention many reasons why women delay childbearing. Unfortunately, couples don’t know until they try to conceive whether they will be among the one in eight for whom pregnancy doesn’t happen readily.

An option to consider for any woman who thinks she may put off motherhood is to have a fertility assessment and think about freezing her eggs.

Fertility preservation is one of the many benefits in the growing realm of ART – artificial reproductive technology – that has now helped thousands of couples become parents. Like any other medical problem, infertility calls for sound, sensitive and professional medical intervention, and fertility preservation is one more option for some women to consider.

Anne Belden, M.S.

fertility and adoption coach

Cape Elizabeth


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