Age and Conception

Many women are waiting longer to start a family these days due to taking time to establish their careers, to travel, to enjoy time to themselves. This is putting them at older ages for when they begin thinking of having children. While this is understandable, age does have a direct effect on a woman’s fertility. In fact, in many cases age is considered to be the single most important factor that can affect a woman’s fertility.

As women age, the chances that they can become pregnant and conceiving a healthy baby decreases significantly. When baby girl infants are born they have within their ovaries all the eggs that they will ever have. As women age, their eggs diminish in quantity and quality which is why a woman’s age is taken very highly into consideration when fertility issues arise. While times may have changed in that it is now more popular than ever for women to wait until later in life to conceive, time is not exactly on their side.

Starting around age 32, a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant decrease gradually, but significantly. At the age of 35, the “fertility decline” will speed up, and by age 40 a woman’s fertility will have fallen by half. It is also important for women to know that there are more significant pregnancy and birth risks for older women. A woman over the age of 35 is almost two and a half times more likely than a younger woman to have a stillbirth, and by the age of 40 that likelihood has increased to more than five times more likely. A woman above the age of 40 is also more likely to have a miscarriage than at any other time in her life.

Men also have a role in conception that correlates with their age. As men grow older, their sperm count lessens and the sperm that they do produce travel slower and are often unsuccessful at reaching or penetrating an egg.

At Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. we are here for you throughout your contraception time and pregnancy. While age plays a significant role in your chances of conceiving, we are here to promote the most optimal chance for you. Contact our practice to schedule an appointment and begin your journey today.