There really is no standard answer to this question. While it is a fact that fertility rates in woman start declining by age 30, with the right fertility treatments many women can conceive children even in their 50s.
Every woman is born with a specific number of eggs and the quantity and quality of the eggs decrease with time. Biologically speaking, the ideal age for a woman to get pregnant is in her 20s, but at that age, most people may not be in a financially or emotionally stable position to raise a child.
Around the age of 35 years, women start to experience a dramatic decline in fertility. The risk of pregnancy complications and miscarriage also starts increasing and by the age of 40 years, the miscarriage rate is between 40 to 50%. Keeping fit and healthy can help increase the chances of getting pregnant but this alone cannot completely overcome the effects of aging on the reproductive system.
However, with the significant advances in fertility treatments, more women are giving birth in their 40s or even later. For older women who would like to get pregnant with their own eggs, egg freezing and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are very good options. Egg freezing allows you to use your eggs at a later date, and IVF involves combining the sperm from the man and the egg from the woman in a laboratory to form an embryo, which can be then placed into the uterus. Eggs from a donor may also be used to improve the chances of conception.
If low sperm count and decreased sperm motility is determined to be the cause of infertility, intrauterine insemination may be effective treatment. The procedure involves the placement of cleaned sperm directly into the uterus. This method is often used as the first line of treatment for unexplained infertility.
It must be noted that even with advanced fertility treatments, age plays a negative role and women above the age of 40 should seek fertility treatment as soon as possible.
ReproMed Fertility Center offers personalized fertility treatments in four convenient locations in the Dallas metroplex and one in Tyler. Please contact us at (214) 827-8777 for all appointments and information.