Blood Type Could Bar Women From Conceiving

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Blood Type Could Bar Women From Conceiving

A woman's blood group could make it harder for her to get pregnant, scientists have discovered.

Those with blood type O may have more trouble conceiving as they age because they appear to have a lower egg count and poorer egg quality, according to a new study.

Women with blood group A appear to have more and better-quality eggs.

It is the first time a woman's blood group has been linked to her chances of getting pregnant.

The findings could lead to those with type O blood being advised to try for a baby earlier in life, but experts said more research was needed.

More than 560 women, whose average age was 35, took part in the latest research by a team from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and Yale University.

Blood samples from the women - who were all undergoing fertility treatment - were taken to measure levels of "follicle stimulating hormone" (FSH), a widely-accepted marker of fertility.

A high FSH level indicates women have fewer eggs available for fertilisation.

The study found that women with type O blood were twice as likely as others to have an FSH level greater than 10 - the threshold between normal and raised levels.

Some 44% of the UK population are blood group O and 42% are type A.

Dr Edward Nejat, who led the study, said FSH levels were just one marker of fertility and more research was needed.

"A woman's age remains the most important factor in determining her success of conceiving," he said.

"The baseline FSH gives us an idea of the quality and quantity of a woman's eggs."

Tony Rutherford, chair of the British Fertility Society, said a bigger study was needed on the wider population.

He said: "We need to look at a prospective group of women to see if blood group affects your chance of getting pregnant," he said.

"This needs further exploration."

Source: Sky News