How does fertility change with age? Exploring the biological clock
If you have questions about your biological clock, you aren’t alone. Many patients come to The Fertility Center of Las Vegas and ask, “How does fertility change with age?” Our Las Vegas fertility specialists want you to know there is a strong link between age and fertility in both sexes. Our team is here to help you learn a little bit more about how fertility changes over time in both men and women.
How does fertility change with age? A quick look at age and fertility in women and men
You likely know that fertility declines over time until a woman reaches menopause and can no longer have children. However, you might not know what a woman’s exact reproductive timeline looks like.
- Female fertility begins in the teen years with the onset of ovulation and menstruation. Ovulation is when your body releases an egg, which typically occurs each month.
- Your 20s and early-30s are your best reproductive years. If you are healthy and have no fertility issues, you have a 20% chance of conceiving each month you try.
- Your fertility will gradually start to decline after age 35. This decline will become more-rapid in your late-30s and early 40s. By age 40, you have a 5% chance of conceiving.
- The average age of menopause is 51, but fertility typically ends five to 10 years before that. During this time, you’ll notice shorter and missed periods.
The decline in female fertility is due to a decrease in egg quality and quantity. Over time, your body has fewer eggs and more of those eggs contain chromosomal abnormalities.
When it comes to men, how does fertility change with age? It turns out that males also experience a decline in fertility, but it’s to a lesser degree. Sperm quality tends to deteriorate with age, but it typically doesn’t become a problem until a man reaches his 60s. Older men can also experience issues like low libido and erectile dysfunction.
Fertility treatments can often help overcome age-related infertility
More people are waiting until their 30s to start families, which can sometimes conflict with the body’s biological clock. However, our Las Vegas fertility specialists offer treatments that can help. If you haven’t conceived after one year of trying (or six months if you’re 35 or over), you should visit FCLV to learn about your treatment options.
For example, some women can overcome age and fertility issues with help from in vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Other patients may need to turn to IVF with egg donation to welcome a healthy baby. Our team will work with you and perform diagnostic testing to determine which treatment will give you the best odds of success.
Contact us to schedule an appointment and learn more. We’re always happy to answer questions like, “How does fertility change with age?”
