Fertility difficulties later in life
18 November, 2015
Question:I am nearing 40 and my husband is 50. We are married for almost 2 years and are desperately trying to have children.
I have a very irregular period. It seems I am always at the mikveh.
We have been to a fertility specialist, who put me on Clomid, of which I became resistant to. My husband has a low count / high abnormality ejaculate. We have tried insemination, but that has failed.
We really want to go back to the natural way, before we continue further with the IVF option. And it seems waiting the full 7 clean days does not fit in my reality. How flexible are the laws of family purity, and do I have the option of cutting the number of clean days in order to catch when it is optimal FOR ME to conceive?
Answer:We appreciate the sensitive nature of this question.
Based on what you write about your irregularity, your age, and your husband’s ejaculate, natural attempts at conception including IUI, are unlikely to succeed. Time is of the essence. We therefore urge you to seek medical assistance available so that you may become pregnant B”H.
For more information on ovulation before immersion, please read our article here. Unfortunately, we think this situation entails a number of factors beyond that.
You may find it helpful to consult a Yoetzet Halacha Fertility Counselor about your options. This is a free service, details here.
We wish you much hatzlacha, may you find yourself in a healthy pregnancy soon!
This response was updated on 22 November, 2020.
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