Odds of Getting Pregnant by Age

Men have the potential to be fertile their entire adulthood, with the exception of erectile dysfunction which can occur starting from about 40 years. Decreased sperm quality, which occurs around the same time, also has negative health outcomes for offspring.

Women usually experience a gradual decline in fertility as they get older, particularly in their 30’s and 40s making age a crucial factor with regards to conception and pregnancy. We shall look at the odds of getting pregnant as one’s age increases, highlighting factors that influence conception and fertility at different stages of life.

Female Fertility

Naturally, the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries begin to decline for people born with a uterus. It typically begins in their early 30s, declining more steeply as they approach their early 40s. This presents its own challenges as people who can become pregnant, more than ever before, are choosing to do so later in life. 

A 2016 study  found several things, firstly that the average age at first pregnancy had risen from 21 to 25 in America. Secondly, that there had been a decrease in the number of pregnancies occurring before the age of 20, and thirdly, that pregnancies after the age of 35 had increased.

Consequently, the number of people relying on assisted reproductive technologies to become pregnant has increased. There are those whose preference is to conceive naturally, thus, it is important to understand the timeframe they have to work within.

The following section gives a general guideline into how age influences the decline in fertility, in consideration of the fact that each individual instance is unique. It is based off a study on the impact of age on fertility, offering insight into pregnancy likelihoods by decade where a couple is trying to conceive. 

Fertility in Your 20s

When it comes to conception, one’s 20s are perhaps the decade with the most ease. The chances of pregnancy within a year of trying consistently are at an all time high of 85 percent.

Fertility in Your Early 30s

In one’s 30s, the chances of pregnancy dropping, but not that  significantly. In fact it was found that within a year of trying, 75 percent of those trying to conceive naturally were successful.

Fertility in Your Late 30s

The late 30s show a continued and steady decline in fertility rate, but the odds are still positive generally. A person or couple trying to conceive naturally at the age of about 35 has a 66 percent chance.

Fertility in Your Early 40s

Fertility begins to decline much more rapidly once a person reaches the age of 40. Although there is still a 44 percent chance of becoming pregnant within a year, that figure drops continuously with each subsequent year.

Another consideration when it comes to pregnancy in the late 30s and early 40s, is the risk of miscarriages, which has been seen to rise significantly. 27 percent of pregnancies in 40-year-olds ended in miscarriage, according to the study, which is a fairly large margin compared to a rate of 16 percent in individuals who are 30 years old or below.

Fertility in Your Mid-to-Late 40s

In this age bracket, the chances of conception are quite low for most people, although it is not entirely impossible to conceive naturally. For a majority of cases, if a successful pregnancy is achieved, it is likely due to some form of assisted reproductive technology.

Male Fertility

A study on ageing in relation to fertility in men found that the chances of having erectile dysfunction, once they were above age 40, increased significantly. Still, many men remain fertile throughout their adult lives, but there is a decline in the quality of sperm as they age. Overall, the larger risk then, is the potential harm the low quality sperm has on their offspring’s health, more than the ability to conceive.

Time is of the Essence

Age matters for everyone when it comes to fertility, especially women. From their first menstrual cycle, fertility levels gradually decline, and increasingly as they approach their late 30s and early 40s. Fertility can persist for the entire adult life of a man, but because of declined sperm quality, there are health outcomes for children that are very concerning.

The expert team at Ivy Fertility can be contacted at any one of our locations across the country to assist with any questions or concerns regarding fertility, no matter the age bracket you fall under. We are ready to assist you in your family planning journey.

Fertility FAQs

How many eggs do people have?

A person assigned female at birth has around 6 million eggs, or oocytes, present during fetal development. By the time they are born, they have between 1 and 2 million eggs approximately. At puberty, one has around 300,000 oocytes in reserve. 

When does the fertility rate drop?

According to the NIH, fertility declines throughout early adulthood for persons born with a uterus with a significant drop starting in the late 30s. At which point, the likelihood of conceiving naturally drops by 25 percent between age 35 and 40.

At what age are people the most fertile?

People assigned male at birth tend to be most fertile between the ages of 25 and 29, whereas those assigned female at birth, in their late teens and early 20s.