Women in their 20s enjoy the highest fertility rates, with “24” typically being quoted as the peak fertility age.
Women in their 20s have an egg pool that is abundant, and most of their eggs do not have chromosomal abnormalities – both of which guarantee a heightened likelihood of conception. However, they too still carry a certain percentage of our eggs that are abnormal, and given that fertilisation has to happen within a narrow window after ovulation occurs, even a young and healthy woman trying to get pregnant only have about a 25% chance each month.
Couples that have been trying to fall pregnant at the relevant time of the cycle and have not had success should contact a fertility specialist for a thorough investigation after the following timeframes:
It is about as common for the male partner to be the source of infertility as the female, so both partners should be investigated at this point.
Nothing can be done to prevent a miscarriage from occurring if a pregnancy is developing abnormally.
The risk of miscarriage rises as a woman ages, with a dramatic rise starting after age 35, simply because chromosomal abnormalities in the remaining eggs are more common with time (and thus, age).
You can reduce your chance of miscarriage by:
While you still have a chance of getting pregnant until you reach menopause, it is important to note that women actually start to lose their fertility 4-to-8 years before menopause – a period known as perimenopause.
During perimenopause, you could still have eggs, but the majority of them are likely to be abnormal. Plus, you are more likely to be ovulating irregularly – both of which significantly reduce your chances of conceiving a healthy baby.
Age-related fertility decline is an inevitable part of being a woman. Your ability to have children depends on whether your ovaries have enough good eggs that can progress into a healthy pregnancy.
Eggs, like other cells within the body, degrade over time, causing a decline in fertility rates by age. Unfortunately, no one is able to stop time, so you might consider freezing your eggs as a way to slow down your fertility clock, or at least stop your eggs from ageing further.
Get in touch with our friendly team to arrange an appointment with one of our fertility specialists.
