Contents
20 — 24 of the Year
The perfect time to conceive a baby. At the age of 21, 90% of the eggs do not have chromosomal abnormalities, which increases the chances of conceiving a healthy child. On average, women reach their peak fertility at 24 years of age.
The probability that a woman under 25 will become pregnant within a year (with regular attempts) is 96%. However, if at these rates the future father is less than 25 years old, the chances of conception drop to 92%. As it turns out, many of the fertility problems among young couples are due to men. However, most of these problems are easily treatable. If pregnancy has not occurred even after a year of trying, it is worth contacting a specialist.
25 — 29 years
At this time, the chances of getting pregnant within a year are 86%. Moreover, the probability of a miscarriage is 10%. This is slightly higher than that of mothers under 25. But keep trying and chances are you’ll be able to get pregnant within a year. It is worth seeing a specialist after a year of unsuccessful attempts.
30 — 34 of the Year
The chances of conceiving are still high: up to 86% for couples who have been trying for a year. The only major change is that the chances of a miscarriage rise to 30% by age 20.
If 9 months of attempts have not yielded results, some doctors advise you to consult a gynecologist. This will help identify problems and treat them before you turn 35 and fertility begins to decline dramatically.
35 — 39 years
Gynecologists are encouraging: you still have a good chance of getting pregnant. Especially in the period up to 37 years old. At 35, most women have a 15 to 20% chance of getting pregnant in a particular month. That is, the probability of conception is 78% per year.
But at the age of 35, the milestone begins, after which the ability to conceive really drops dramatically. The most common cause is a decrease in the quality of the eggs. There is still enough of them, but more with chromosomal defects that affect the viability of eggs. In addition, at this age, the risk of miscarriages, pregnancy with Down syndrome, or pregnancy with other abnormalities is slightly higher compared to carrying a child under 35 years of age.
Approximately 30% of women aged 35 can become pregnant within a year. But don’t wait that long to see if you fall into these statistics. Time is of the utmost importance now. If you have trouble conceiving after six months of trying, see a specialist for an examination. Intrauterine insemination may work – it is a less invasive conception aid than IVF. However, artificial insemination can also be a great option.
If you are not yet ready for children, but also do not reject this possibility in the future, now is the last chance to freeze viable eggs for use later. A woman can freeze her eggs until she is 40 and have a good chance of getting pregnant after a few years.
40 — 44 of the Year
With age, the quality and quantity of eggs decreases. By the age of 40, 90% of the eggs have chromosomal abnormalities. Moreover, older male partners also have more problems.
In addition, the lining of the uterus becomes thinner and blood flow to it decreases with age. All this makes it difficult for the embryo to penetrate the wall of the uterus.
The closer to menopause (the onset of menopause occurs between the ages of 40 and 60), the shorter the cycles. This means that as the cycle shortens, ovulation occurs earlier, already on the ninth day. The basic rule of natural conception at this age is to have sex every other day during ovulation. However, if three months of vigorous attempts have not yielded results, see your doctor immediately.
For women over 40, insemination treatment is ineffective. The best option is IVF. If five embryos are transferred to a 42-year-old woman during the procedure, the chance of pregnancy is 10 to 20%. However, in one in five cases, pregnancy can become multiple, and this is associated with certain risks. With a low oocyte supply and for women over 43 years of age, egg donation is the most suitable method of conception.
45 years and older
At the age of 45, the probability of a woman becoming pregnant is no more than 3-4%. This is not to say that pregnancy is completely impossible, but almost always in this case, assisted reproductive technologies are required.
The few remaining eggs may have chromosomal abnormalities, so screening before IVF is very important. However, the probability of a positive result is at most 1%. Therefore, for those who want to conceive a child between the ages of 46 and 50, most clinics recommend using eggs donated by a younger woman.
How to increase your chances of getting pregnant at any age
Regardless of your age, you can increase your chances of conceiving by knowing exactly when you are ovulating. Ovulation usually occurs 14 days before your next period, regardless of the length of your cycle. For example, if you have a 34-day cycle and ovulate around day 20, a woman with a 26-day cycle will ovulate on day 12. Regardless of the date of ovulation, plan to have intercourse within five days before that day and within two days after.
You will know that you are approaching ovulation when a clear, slippery discharge appears – cervical mucus, which begins to be secreted one to four days before the egg is released. Another good predictor is the ovulation test. It determines the spike in luteinizing hormone required for conception. If the test is positive, ovulation will occur within 24 to 48 hours. This is how much time you have to get pregnant.
Fertility depends on genetic factors and environmental influences during childhood and puberty. Approximately 1% of women aged 25 years have a reduced ovarian reserve, which corresponds to late childbearing age. Outwardly, this does not manifest itself in any way, and if a woman’s immediate plans include giving birth to a child, then everything will work out. However, if she wants to postpone the creation of a family, then it is better to resort to cryopreservation of eggs in an IVF clinic. Otherwise, after a few years, the function of the ovaries will drastically decrease, and the problem of infertility will arise.
To assess fertility during the consultation, the doctor collects data on the patient’s heredity, on the previous infectious and other diseases, on the peculiarities of the formation of the menstrual cycle, and on the contraceptive methods used. Having carried out hormonal screening and ultrasound, we will be able to determine the anatomical and functional features of the reproductive system.
It is important to exclude diseases such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts, sluggish inflammatory processes, endocrine disorders. All these conditions at the initial stage do not have pronounced symptoms, but their timely treatment is the key to maintaining fertility.
After the examination, it can be concluded whether there is cause for concern at the moment. If all is well, the most appropriate methods of contraception can be discussed. It is important to avoid problems of infertility or miscarriage in the future. If reproductive potential is of concern, it is the doctor’s job to educate people about the risks of infertility due to early depletion of the ovarian reserve. In such a situation, it is advised to make the birth of a child the number one task. You can postpone motherhood, but having prepared your sex cells for the future, while the potential of youth is preserved in them. In patients with a critical reserve, this is an age of 30 years ± 2 years.