Odds of Getting Pregnant by Age

We’ve all heard that a woman’s biological clock is always ticking. But is there any truth to that? Several factors affect your chances of conceiving and age is one of them. Many women worry about becoming pregnant as they age and this article will look at what your chances of are of getting pregnant as you age. 

Key Takeaways

• Age is one of the largest factors affecting people’s ability to conceive, especially so for those assigned female at birth.
• AFAB individuals begin to see a gradual decline in fertility in their early 30s, with a more pronounced drop-off starting shortly before turning 40.
• Individuals assigned male at birth can potentially remain fertile for their entire adult lives. However, an increase in erectile dysfunction is seen around age 40, and a decrease in sperm quality around the same time can have negative health outcomes for offspring.

Fertility Statistics at Birth

Assigned at Birth females with ovaries have 1 to 2 million eggs they’ll have in their lifetime. This number of eggs keeps on dwindling as time passes by. To complicate matters further, more people are choosing to conceive much later in life. In 2016, one study revealed that the average age of first pregnancy in the United States alone had risen from 21 to 25. This meant that the number of pregnancies at or before the age of 20 decreased while those at the age of 35 and above increased.

Clearly, age is one of the largest contributing factors to fertility for people born with a uterus. A decline in the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries can begin to impact fertility in the early 30s, with a steeper decline occurring toward the end of the 30s and early 40s.

As there are only 6 days in each cycle where conception is favorable, many older women are now having to rely on assisted reproductive technologies to help them conceive. On the other hand, those trying to conceive naturally must understand the timeframe they are working with to increase their chances of conception. 

However, every individual is different and some older women have conceived naturally. Thankfully, several studies offer more insight into the impact of age on fertility. 

Fertility in Your 20s

Women born with a uterus have a higher chance of conception in their early 20s. This is mainly due to the fact that they have 90% of their eggs, which contain normal chromosomes. At this stage, women are at their fertility peak and have a 25% chance of getting pregnant in one menstrual cycle. Put simply, assigned at birth females in their 20s do get pregnant within a year of trying (71% chance). 

As one progresses to their mid to late 20s, you are still in your most fertile stage and your chances of getting pregnant are still quite high. Not only that, your chances of a miscarriage are also low. All you have to do is to time your sexual activities with your ovulation period and unless there are underlying issues, you can get pregnant within a year. 

Fertility in Your 30s

By the time you enter your 30s, the likelihood of a successful pregnancy has already begun to drop, but your chances to conceive naturally within a year of trying stand at 79% percent. The only shift that happens is your chances of miscarriage begin to rise. 

Experts agree that you don’t have to look for fertility treatment in your 30s unless you’ve been unsuccessfully trying for a year. But, you can consult your doctor if you suspect there is an underlying issue.  

When you hit your mid to late 30s, you still have great chances of getting pregnant naturally but these chances now stand at 15% in each cycle. A couple trying to conceive naturally now has a 67% chance of conceiving naturally within a year. However, this is the age bracket where fertility begins to decline, especially due to reduced egg quality. At this age, women with ovaries have eggs but the eggs tend to have more chromosomal defects. 

Fertility in Your 40s

By the age of 40, fertility begins to decline much more rapidly. Those attempting to get pregnant at age 40 still have a 56% chance of becoming pregnant within a year, but that percentage continues to fall with each year above the age of 40.

Additionally, the risk of miscarriage begins to rise significantly as well. Studies have shown that 27% of pregnancies in 40-year-olds ended in miscarriage, compared to a 16 percent miscarriage rate in individuals aged 30 or lower.

Nevertheless, natural conception still remains a possibility in your 40s but the chances are lower and most women need help from assisted reproductive technology. This age also comes with other challenges as 90% of the eggs produced have chromosomal abnormalities. Not only that, but the uterine lining at this stage thins, and the blood supply to the uterus decreases, making it harder for implantation to happen.

 If you also have an older male partner, there could be issues with their sperm quantity and quality and a sperm analysis may be required. At Ivy Fertility, the expert team of healthcare professionals offers guidance to couples struggling in their fertility journey. 

Perimenopause and Fertility

Before women approach menopause, there’s a previous stage known as perimenopause that can last up to 10 years. In this stage, your cycle becomes shorter or irregular. If you’re planning to conceive, you have to time sex to ovulation. 

Male Fertility

Male fertility is also affected by age and a 2022 study found that there is a significant increase in the likelihood of erectile dysfunction in individuals over the age of 40. Still, many assigned at-birth males remain fertile to some degree throughout their entire adult lives. While they continue to produce sperm later in life, the quality of this sperm declines with age.

Fertility FAQs

How many eggs are people born with?

A woman is born with approximately 1–2 million eggs in her ovaries. However, this number is higher when in fetal development as they are born with around 6 million eggs, or oocytes. By the time a female gets to puberty, the total number of egg reserves drops to around 300,000.

When does fertility decline?

According to the NIH, fertility technically declines throughout the entire early adulthood of females born with a uterus, but a significant decline begins in the late 30s. Between the ages of 35 and 40, the likelihood of conceiving naturally drops by nearly 25 percent.

What age are people most fertile?

Women are most fertile in their late teens to early 20s. During this period, there is around a 25% chance of a pregnancy occurring during each monthly menstrual cycle. For those assigned males at birth, peak fertility typically occurs sometime between 25 and 29, with sperm quality beginning to decline around age 30.

The Bottom Line

Age is a big factor in fertility for everyone, but especially so for those assigned female at birth. Fertility levels gradually decline from puberty, but that decline becomes quicker in the late 30s and early 40s. For people assigned male at birth, fertility can persist to some degree for their entire adult lives, but later in life, the quality of sperm could have concerning health outcomes for children.