If you are one of the many couples who have decided to wait to start a family, it would be in your best interest to make an appointment at an infertility center as soon as you make this decision. Not only will this give you a better idea of what happens when you put off children until your 30s or 40s, it will also prepare you for the different ways to help you conceive should there be problems. Here are just a few things you will want to consider.

Weight and Health

While you might be healthy and in great shape now, you can never be sure you will stay that way. It is important that you understand you need to continue to take care of yourself, mind your weight, avoid smoking, drugs, and excessive drinking if you are hoping to conceive naturally sometime in the future. If you are currently overweight or have bad habits that can affect your fertility, you need to make lifestyle changes now or resign yourself to being childless or needing fertility treatments. Of course, there could be things beyond your control that affect your fertility, age being one of them, so you should do all you can to reduce the chance of having problems.

Minor Fertility Issues

While it may be nice to only have a period every 3 or 4 months, it is is sign there may be a problem. Have the fertility specialist run tests to see what the problem is and get it fixed now if possible. If you are diagnosed with endometriosis, the problem may be resolved with surgery to remove the excess tissue, if PCOS is the problem, taking birth control pills may give you the needed hormones to make things right. Now is the time for both you and your partner to be tested so any issues can be resolved before you start trying to conceive.

Freezing Eggs or Embryos

No matter what your fertility state is now, it is going to change. You may also develop a health condition that makes conception more difficult or even dangerous, such as diabetes or cancer. One way to ensure you will be able to have children in the future is by harvesting and freezing your eggs. You can take it a step further and have harvested eggs fertilized with the resulting embryos frozen. Keep in mind, fertility problems do not always lie with the woman. Freezing embryos ensures children regardless of who has fertility problems.

There is nothing wrong with waiting to have children. However, you need to be smart about the issues you may face when you are older. See a fertility specialist to make sure you do not regret waiting and have the family you want when you want it. Contact a company like Delaware Valley Institute of Fertility to learn more.