Age in failure of conception
Age is one of the factors that affect fertility in both men and women. Generally, fertility declines with age, especially after the mid-30s. This is because the quantity and quality of eggs and sperm decrease over time, and the risk of chromosomal abnormalities and miscarriage increases. However, the exact impact of age on fertility varies from person to person, and depends on other factors such as lifestyle, health, and genetics.
According to some studies, the average chances of getting pregnant naturally in any monthly cycle are:
- 25–30% for women in their early to mid-20s
- 15–20% for women in their late 20s to early 30s
- 10% for women in their late 30s
- 5% for women in their early 40s
- Less than 1% for women in their mid-40s and beyond
These percentages are only estimates and do not reflect the individual variations in fertility. Some women may have higher or lower chances of conceiving at any given age, depending on their reproductive history, medical conditions, and genetic factors. Additionally, these percentages do not account for the male partner’s age and fertility, which can also decline with age and affect the chances of conception.
If you are concerned about your fertility or planning to start a family, it is advisable to consult a doctor or a fertility specialist. They can assess your fertility potential, offer advice on how to optimize your chances of conceiving, and suggest appropriate treatment options if needed. Some of the options that may help overcome age-related infertility are:
- Ovulation induction: This involves taking medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce and release eggs.
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI): This involves placing the partner’s or donor’s sperm directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation.
- In vitro fertilization (IVF): This involves retrieving eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them with the partner’s or donor’s sperm in a laboratory, and transferring the resulting embryos into the uterus.
- Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): This is a type of IVF that involves injecting a single sperm into each egg to facilitate fertilization.
- Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT): This is a technique that screens the embryos for chromosomal or genetic abnormalities before implantation.
- Egg donation: This involves using eggs from a younger donor to create embryos with the partner’s or donor’s sperm.
- Sperm donation: This involves using sperm from a younger donor to fertilize the partner’s or donor’s eggs.
- Embryo donation: This involves using embryos from a younger couple or donor to transfer into the uterus.
- Adoption: This involves legally taking a child who is not biologically related as one’s own.
