A LOOK AT THE FERTILITY SCHEDULE

Many women are born with all the immature follicles they will ever have — roughly 1 to 2 million. Only about 400,000 of these eggs remain by the onset of menstruation, which occurs at around the age of 12.

With each period, several hundred eggs are lost. Only the healthiest follicles will develop into mature eggs. Men, on the other hand, keep producing new sperm for most of their adult lives. As the body ages, it has fewer follicles. This means the follicles have fewer chances to produce healthy, strong eggs for fertilisation. In the teenage years the supply is plentiful, but by the late 30s and the 40s it declines. Yet this is precisely when more and more people are trying to start a family.

Today, the average age at first birth is 26.6 years. This age has been rising steadily in recent years. Let's take a look at how the decision to wait can affect your fertility.

Ages 18 to 24

If there were ever a "best" time to conceive from a purely physical point of view, this would be it. Your body's strongest follicles are the first to mature into eggs for ovulation, so the eggs you produce in your younger years are more likely to be of high quality.
Having a child at this age will reduce the risk of:
-genetic defects
-chromosomal problems
-some fertility problems
Of course, while it is less risky to have children when you are 18 to 24, it is not entirely risk-free. This chance of conceiving, also known as the fertility rate, will decline over the course of your life. It is at its highest at this younger age. Between the ages of 20 and 30, the natural monthly fertility rate is about 25 percent. This falls below 10 percent after the age of 35. Birth rates are falling for women aged 18 to 24.

Ages 25 to 30

With every year that passes, your chance of conceiving a child naturally drops. But in your late 20s, your chance of getting pregnant without intervention remains fairly stable. In fact, otherwise healthy couples under 30 have a 40 to 60 percent chance of conceiving within the first three months of trying, according to estimates from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. After the age of 30, the chances of pregnancy begin to decline every year.
If you have not started a family yet, don't worry!

Your body still has a generous supply of eggs to provide when the time comes. But if you are trying to conceive and have not succeeded for at least three months, talk to your doctor. While most couples at this age will be able to have a baby without intervention, some guidance can be helpful.

Ages 31 to 35

In your early 30s, your chances of having a baby are still high. You still have plenty of high-quality eggs to offer, but your chances will start to decline steadily at this age. The fertility rate declines gradually up to the age of 32. At 37, it drops dramatically. In your 30s, you are at roughly half the fertility you had in your early 20s.

Does this mean you cannot have children in your 30s? Not at all. In fact, 1 in 5 women nationally has her first child after the age of 35, notes the National Institutes of Health. However, 1 in 3 couples in their 30s will face some kind of infertility problem.

Ages 35 to 40

The biggest decline. A woman in her late 30s has roughly half the chance of conceiving without intervention compared with a woman in her early 20s. A 2003 review notes that 60 percent of couples in this age range will be able to conceive naturally within one year of starting to try, while 85 percent will be able to conceive within two years.

However, at this age the risks of chromosomal problems in the eggs are higher. The risks increase with each additional year. This means the risks of miscarriage or an abnormal pregnancy are higher. This drop in fertility rates happens to coincide with the decade of life in which more people than ever are trying to start a family. From 2011 to 2016, the birth rate for women aged 35 to 39 rose every year. For women over 39, the birth rate is even higher.

Ages 41 to 45+

Birth rates for ages 40 to 44 rose by 2 percent between 2016 and 2017. The number of births for women aged 45 to 49 rose by 3 percent over the same period. In fact, the fastest-growing birth rates are among women aged 40 and over.

It is important to remember, however, that although more people are giving birth at these ages, the overall birth rate among older parents is still much lower than among younger ones. This is partly because it is harder to get pregnant if you are
over 40. By this age, your body is preparing for menopause. Your ovaries have probably used up their follicles or are nearing the end of their supply. With every cycle that passes, more will disappear. By the time you reach your early 50s, you will have almost no follicles left.

Babies born to people in this age group are also at higher risk of certain genetic defects and of complications during pregnancy. Miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities increase significantly during this period of life.
Older age also increases the risk of complications for the parent, such as:
-Diabetes
-Hypertension
-Pre-eclampsia

Today, people are waiting longer to start families. Thanks to advances in fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilisation, these people often manage to achieve a pregnancy at this later stage. While your natural window gradually closes with age, fertility treatments may be able to extend that period and even increase the chances of a successful conception.

*The content of this blog is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have about medical conditions.