Age and Fertility 

A woman's age can and does affect her fertility. Interestingly studies suggest that more and more women are giving birth at the age of 30 or older. In modern society many couples are deciding to have babies later in life, once they are financially secure and stable. Others prefer to spend more time nurturing their relationship before having children.

While aging does have some effect on men, men ultimately are more likely to remain fertile for longer periods of time. Women's fertility on the other hand declines more rapidly. Studies suggest that women are half as fertile at the age of 35 as they were when 25. At 40, most women are half as fertile again as they were at 35. What this means is the older you get, generally the longer it will take to conceive. Some women have more problems conceiving the longer they wait.

There are also risks associated with having babies at a later age. Some studies suggest the quality of the female egg declines with age. Thus women who are 35 and older are more at risk for having babies with certain birth defects including Down's syndrome.

Fertility Treatment For Older Women

Fortunately there are many fertility treatments available for women over 35 who plan to have a family. Fertility treatments will take into consideration many factors that affect a woman's fertility. These include:

• A woman's menstrual cycle, which tends to become shorter and more irregular as she ages.

• The lining of a woman's womb, which may decline or become thinner with age.

• A woman's ovarian reserve, or the number of follicles capable of producing viable eggs a woman has left in her ovaries.

• Any diseases of the reproductive system that may be present, including endometriosis that may affect fertility.

• Women's overall health, which may contribute to fertility.

Pregnancy After 35

The good news is most women will be able to conceive after the age of 35. There are some risks however associated with pregnancy for women who are 35 and older. Women over the age of 35 are more at risk for certain complications during pregnancy. These include pregnancy induced diabetes, hypertension, placental abnormalities and an increased risk of giving birth to a baby with Down's syndrome. A woman's risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome increases to one in 109 by the time a woman is 40 years old, and 1 in 32 when a woman is 45. Many doctors will recommend that women over 35 years old consider genetic testing to rule out birth defects or genetic defects during pregnancy.

Women's peak fertility generally occurs between the ages of 20 and 24. More and more however women are waiting until later in life to have children. By the time a woman is 40 her chances of becoming pregnant have decreased two fold from when she was younger. Still, modern technology has afforded older women many choices for getting pregnant. Among these include use of fertility booster drugs and in vitro fertilization, which may improve a woman's chances of conceiving. Most women who do successfully conceive after 35 however will find that their pregnancies aren't much different from those of younger women. Many will go on to have fulfilling and rewarding pregnancies, and still many others will become pregnant again!