How Does Age Affect Fertility?

Deciding if and when to build a family often involves a range of factors, from whether or not you’ve found an ideal long-term partner to financial and health considerations. Depending on your goals and whether or not you’ve already had kids, some people welcome age-related changes in fertility with open arms. Those who wish to have a baby relatively later in life, however, can find them deeply frustrating. 

If you’re concerned about infertility, you’re not alone. At The Center for Women's Health in Newport News and Hampton, Virginia. Our team provide effective diagnostics and customized treatments to help you safely expand your family. 

Take a few minutes to learn about the link between age and fertility, including ways we can help.

Your peak reproductive years

If you have a uterus, your late teens until your late 20s are considered your prime fertility years, or when you’re most likely to get pregnant. For this reason, birth control is especially important during this time if you’re sexually active and hope to avoid pregnancy. By age 30, your fertility will start to decline.

Your fertility after age 30

By age 30 on, you not only have fewer eggs remaining in your body, but a higher risk of abnormal chromosomes and disorders that can impact fertility. You may be more prone to endometriosis or uterine fibroids, for example, which can make pregnancy more difficult.

Still, many people achieve pregnancy during their 30s and beyond. While getting pregnant naturally around age 45 is unlikely and increases your risk for pregnancy complications, you aren’t out of options. 

Male fertility decreases, too, lowering after age 40. Sperm quality also decreases with age. Male infertility accounts for about 30% of cases, female infertility accounts for 30-40% of cases, and the cause of remaining instances goes unknown.

What to do about dwindling fertility

If your fertility has gone down while your desire and ability to care for a baby have increased, our team can determine and help you decide on your best options. 

Depending on factors such as your age and overall health, we may recommend:

• Medication to boost your ovulation
• Reproductive organ repair, to address any abnormalities
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)

Research shows that while your chances of getting pregnant at age 40 is less than 5%, IVF may increase your odds to 20-40%. 

You can also increase your odds of pregnancy by eating a nutritious, fiber-rich diet, exercising regularly (but not too much), and managing stress and anxiety. 

To learn more about fertility or get the treatment you need, call our office or schedule an appointment with The Center for Women's Health through our online booking feature.