Does age affect women’s fertility? Know from an expert


Most women are unaware of certain reproductive facts and something called the biological clock ticking away. These concepts come into prominence when a couple plans out their pregnancy. One should keep in mind that the conception cycle is ageist for both men and women and its understanding is pivotal because it helps in conception, baby’s health, and making informed choices during pregnancy.

How age affects women’s fertility as compared to men?

“Men and women’s fertility with age has a different effect on each other’s bodies. Women are born with a finite number of eggs, and the ovaries contain all the eggs. Therefore, it signifies the women’s health pregnancy window is short as compared to men, who can even father a child at a later age,” said Dr Aswati Nair, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility, New Delhi.

20s is the perfect age group for a woman to have a healthy pregnancy (Source: Getty Images)

So, let’s have a look at the conception cycle age-wise:

Fertility in 20s

This is the perfect age group for a woman to have a healthy pregnancy. This is the age when women are most fertile. The difference in fertility in their early 20s and late 20s are almost negligible. Some of the great advantages of pregnancy during this age group are:

*As your eggs don’t contain any genetic abnormalities, the chances of your child having Down Syndrome or any other birth defect are less
*The risk of miscarriage is lesser
*Less likely that you will have a premature baby or baby with low birth weight
*Even the mother has a lower risk of any health complications like gestational diabetes or hypertension.

The disadvantages of this phase are:

*In the first pregnancy, the risk of pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication, becomes higher
*If you have PCOD or uterine anomalies, achieving pregnancy is complicated

Fertility in their 30s

During this phase of life, if a woman wants to conceive then her chances of conception remain 15 to 20 percent per month. But, if the woman has any underlying health condition then the chances get reduced further. The ability to conceive naturally gets declined when the woman reaches 35. This is because of the declining quantity and quality of egg in her body. The risks involve are:

*More chances of c-section
*Higher risks of genetic issues in the newborn
*Women are more prone to miscarriages and stillbirths
*Increased risks of ectopic pregnancy

Fertility in your 40s and beyond

In this age group, fertility experts completely don’t rule out the chances of conceiving. But they urge the woman to take notice of the fact that during each ovulatory cycle, the pregnancy rate dips to 5 percent between 40 and 44, whereas beyond 45 it gets reduced to 1 percent.

“According to CDC, half of the women across the globe undergo fertility issues in the 40s. The risk factors of conceiving remain the same as it is in their 30s. But, one should not give up hope,” Dr Nair added



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