Understand how age affects female fertility, influencing natural conception as well as success rates for IUI and IVF treatments.
Key Facts
- A woman's fertility begins to decline at age 30 and drops significantly after 35.
- By age 40, the chance of pregnancy per cycle is only about 5%.
- Both egg quality and quantity decrease with age.
- Factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, stress and an unhealthy lifestyle also impact fertility.
- The quality of a man's sperm plays a crucial role in conception as well.
Introduction
Is there an ideal age to get pregnant? You've likely heard of the "biological clock." While there may be a biologically optimal time to have children, it might not align with your current personal or professional situation. So how long can you delay starting a family, and how can you preserve your fecundity?
In this article, we'll explore women's fertility by age, the different factors that influence female fertility rates and provide essential information about female fertility.
How does age influence a woman's fertility?
The average age of Swiss women at the birth of their first child is 31.2 years. From a purely biological perspective, the chances of getting pregnant at this age are still relatively good. However, female fertility decreases drastically from age 35 onwards. By age 45, it becomes almost impossible to conceive naturally.
Age plays a significant role in fertility. Dr. Dirk Wallmeiner explains the specific reasons in the following video:
What causes fertility to decline with age?
A woman's decreasing fertility with age stems from various biological and physiological factors. Here are the main reasons for this decline:
- Egg quality and quantity: As women age, their ovarian reserve—the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries—decreases, and the quality of those eggs also diminishes. Girls are born with their maximum number of eggs, nestled within follicles—about one to two million. This number steadily decreases throughout life. Unlike sperm, eggs aren't continuously regenerated, so their quality deteriorates over time. Consequently, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in eggs increases in older women, reducing the likelihood of a successful pregnancy.
- Menstrual cycle regularity: The menstrual cycle can become less regular with age, potentially shortening or making the fertile phase unpredictable.
- Hormonal changes: Ovarian function declines over time, leading to reduced production of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are vital for regulating the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Decreased hormone production can therefore lead to fertility problems.
- Increased risk of gynecological conditions: Certain conditions like endometriosis or fibroids become more common with age. These can affect fertility by obstructing fallopian tubes or disrupting uterine function.
- Higher miscarriage rates: The risk of miscarriage increases with advanced maternal age. While women aged 25–29 have an average miscarriage risk of 10%, it rises to about 25% for women over 40.
- Pregnancy complications: Older women face higher risks of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, birth defects, stillbirths and genetic abnormalities in newborns (e.g., Down syndrome).
These factors often interact and collectively influence a woman's fertility over time. It's crucial to note that these causes don't necessarily occur in isolation but often work in combination or interaction.
Fertility and age: What are the chances of a natural pregnancy?
Women in their twenties typically have the highest fertility, while the chances of conceiving and carrying a pregnancy to full term decrease significantly by their mid-30s, and even more so in their forties.
However, it's important to note that the following information reflects general trends, and the chances of pregnancy are highly individual and depend on various factors. Some women in their late 30s or their 40s may still conceive easily, while others might face challenges even in their 20s.
| Age | Your Fertility | Chances per Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | From a purely biological standpoint, the ideal time for pregnancy is in your early twenties, when egg quality is typically at its peak. | 25% |
| 25-30 | While the odds of conceiving naturally do decline gradually with age, your late twenties still offer a very good chance of getting pregnant. In fact, couples under 30 have a 40-60% chance of success within the first three months of trying. | 20-25% |
| 30-35 | Fertility gradually declines with age. In your early 30s, the chance of pregnancy per cycle is still around 15-20%. By your late 30s, the likelihood of spontaneous pregnancy drops to about 10%. | 15-20% |
| 36-39 | Between the ages of 32 and 37, a woman's fertility decreases rapidly. By your mid-30s, you're only half as fertile as you were in your mid-20s. This means your chances of getting pregnant have been cut in half. | approx. 10% |
| 40-44 | Women in their 40s have significantly lower chances of conceiving naturally. The quality of their eggs continues to decline, reducing the chances of a successful pregnancy. Additionally, the risk of miscarriage and genetic abnormalities increases. | approx. 5% |
| > 45 | Between their mid-40s and mid-50s, most women experience menopause, their hormones change, and their egg reserve is nearly depleted. A natural pregnancy at 45+ is therefore virtually impossible. | less than 5% |
These figures are averages, and individual differences exist. Factors such as genetic predisposition, lifestyle, medical history, and overall health also play crucial roles in fertility.
For women who wish to have children later in life or are experiencing difficulty getting pregnant, various fertility treatments are available.
What are the chances of success with fertility treatments?
The success rates of fertility treatments vary based on several factors, including the woman's age, the cause of infertility, the quality of eggs and sperm, and the expertise of the medical team.
Success rates for each treatment differ by country, fertility centre and individual circumstances. Below, you'll find the average chances of pregnancy with insemination and IVF.
Chances of success with insemination according to the woman's age
Compared to IVF, insemination has lower success rates. However, it's often possible without hormonal stimulation and is significantly cheaper, making it the preferred treatment for slightly impaired fertility.
| Woman’s Age | Treatment | Chances per Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| under 35 | Insemination (IUI) | 13% |
| 35-37 | Insemination (IUI) | 10% |
| 38-40 | Insemination (IUI) | 7% |
| over 40 | Insemination (IUI) | 4% |
Chances of success with IVF according to the woman's age
IVF offers the highest pregnancy chances and live birth rates. However, even with this treatment, success rates decrease significantly as women age.
| Woman’s Age | Treatment | Chances per Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| under 35 | IVF | 32% |
| 35-37 | IVF | 25% |
| 38-40 | IVF | 15% |
| over 40 | IVF | 5% |
It's important to note that these are general estimates—many individual factors can influence outcomes. Uterine health, egg quantity and quality, underlying conditions and other medical aspects all play a role.
Women who have previously conceived through IVF may have higher success rates than those with unsuccessful attempts.
Compared to other fertility treatments, IVF and ICSI offer the highest success rates, especially if you want to get pregnant quickly.
Remember, IVF doesn't guarantee pregnancy or a healthy baby; some couples require multiple cycles. The decision to pursue fertility treatment should follow thorough consultation with a fertility specialist who can assess your unique situation.
How can I better preserve my fertility as I age?
Women can take several measures to maintain or support their fertility as they age. Here are some recommendations:
- Healthy lifestyle: A balanced diet, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight can positively affect fertility. These habits help balance hormones and support the natural cycle.
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol: Smoking impairs fertility and increases the risk of infertility and gynecological diseases. Excessive alcohol consumption also negatively affects fertility.
- Manage stress: Chronic stress can disrupt hormone balance and impact fertility. Relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress.
- Regular check-ups: Routine visits to the gynecologist can help detect and treat gynecological issues early, potentially preserving fertility.
- Track ovulation: Monitoring ovulation can help determine the optimal time for intercourse to increase pregnancy chances. This article explains how to accurately determine your ovulation.
- Fertility tests: If you're concerned about fertility, consider getting tested to identify potential obstacles and seek timely professional help.
- Social egg freezing: If you're unsure about when you want to have children, social egg freezing can be a good option to preserve your own eggs for later use. Generally, the earlier a woman’s eggs are retrieved, the better their quality and the higher the chances of pregnancy. The ideal age to have your eggs frozen is in your late 20s or early 30s.
While these measures don't guarantee fertility, they can promote reproductive health and improve the chances of a natural pregnancy at a later age. Since everyone is different, it's advisable to discuss individual needs and options with your health care provider or a reproductive medicine specialist.
Our fertility clinic offers a comprehensive fertility check for your assessment. The costs are usually covered by health insurance. Click here to find out more.
What role does male fertility play?
Male fertility plays a crucial role in conception and the health of the future offspring. Important factors affecting male fertility include:
- Sperm quality and quantity: The quality and number of sperm significantly influence male fertility. Healthy sperm with good motility and normal shape are crucial for successful egg fertilisation. A semen analysis (spermiogram) is often performed to analyse various parameters and assess sperm quality.
- Causes of male infertility: Various factors can cause male infertility, including genetic disorders (such as Klinefelter syndrome), hormonal imbalances, infections, varicoceles (varicose veins in the scrotum), sperm production issues or ejaculation disorders.
- Lifestyle factors: Like women, men's lifestyle choices can affect fertility. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, poor diet, frequent exposure to high temperatures in the genital area (e.g., saunas), and high stress levels can negatively impact sperm quality.
- Treatment options for male sterility: Depending on the cause, various treatments for male sterility are available. These include medications to improve sperm quality, surgical procedures to treat varicoceles, or assisted reproductive technologies such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) if necessary.
It's important to emphasise that male fertility is equally as important as female fertility, and both partners contribute to conception. A comprehensive examination and assessment of both partners' fertility can help identify potential issues and determine the best treatment options to achieve pregnancy.
Male fertility should also be taken into consideration. That's why Cada also offers specific fertility analyses for men and couples.
Takeaway
Female fertility is a complex topic. Generally, fertility decreases significantly from the mid-30s, and the chances of a natural pregnancy become limited. However, this alone shouldn't compel you to have children immediately if your current life circumstances don't allow it or you simply don't feel ready yet.
In today's world, finding the right time to have a child can be challenging. If you're unsure about your fertility and how long you can wait to fulfill your desire for children, we recommend taking a fertility test. You'll receive the results within a week and have a detailed discussion with our fertility experts about your options and any potential hurdles you might face. Even if natural conception proves difficult, fertility treatments are available that can significantly increase your chances of having your own child.
