How does your age affect your fertility? You’re not alone—we keep hearing all of those messages about the ticking “biological clock” and worry that our chances of having a baby plummet after 35. Take a deep breath—while it’s true that your age can affect your chances of getting pregnant, it’s just one factor in the larger picture of overall fertility. Understanding how your age influences your fertility can give you valuable information that can help guide your decisions today and in the future.
Read on for the facts on fertility and age, including the real stats on your chances of getting pregnant in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, what egg quality really means, and more.
What is The Best Age to Get Pregnant?
The short answer is that there is no “best” age to get pregnant. Being “ready” to have a child depends on many factors, like your health, relationship status, career, life goals, and so much more. It’s a multi-faceted decision that doesn’t depend only on the age you happen to be at the moment.
That said, your age does have a real effect on your fertility. Here’s why: women and people with ovaries are born with all the eggs they will ever have (about a million). Unlike men and sperm, your eggs don’t replenish themselves; over time, they start to deplete in quantity and quality. By the time a girl hits puberty, she’ll have about 300,000 eggs left. While that might seem like plenty, the number of eggs decreases with every menstrual cycle until menopause. And even though you only release one egg each month during your menstrual cycle, you actually lose more than just the egg you ovulated during that cycle—up to 1,000 each month!
The decline in quality and quantity can make conceiving more challenging. Egg quality declines with age, affecting the chances of a healthy embryo developing after fertilization. Lower-quality eggs are more likely to have chromosomal abnormalities, which can make conceiving harder, increase the risk of miscarriage, or potentially lead to health issues in the fetus.
You can potentially get pregnant at any point in your reproductive life. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, your fertility is strongest in your 20s and then begins to decline in your 30s.
Fertility by Age
Here’s a breakdown of how your fertility changes in each decade of your reproductive years. Remember that these are just estimates, not predictors, and everyone is different and unique. Estimates vary (sometimes by a lot!) because everyone is different, and other factors like your overall health, lifestyle, and genetics also deeply affect your fertility.
The data below comes from a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of almost 3,000 couples with no history of infertility and the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (ACOG) Committee Opinion on Female Age-Related Fertility Decline.
In your 20s
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In your early 20s: Chances are about 25% that you'll get pregnant in any single menstrual cycle if you're trying to get pregnant, according to ACOG.
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Between the ages of 21 and 24: Chances are about 57% of becoming pregnant within six menstrual cycles and a 71% chance of pregnancy within 12 cycles.
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Between the ages of 25 and 27: Chances are about 59% of becoming pregnant within six cycles and about 79% within 12 cycles.
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Between the ages 28 and 30: Chances are about 62% within six cycles and 78% within 12 cycles.
In Your Early 30s
Fertility starts to decline in your early 30s, usually at about age 32, according to ACOG.
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At the age of 30: According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Chances are about 20% each month you try.
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Between the ages of 31 and 33: There’s a ~61% chance of pregnancy within six cycles and a 77% chance within 12 cycles.
In Your Mid-to-Late 30s
Your fertility may decline more quickly once you reach your mid-30s. Around 37, it begins to decrease more rapidly.
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Between the ages of 34 and 36: Chances are around 56% within six cycles and 75% chance within 12 cycles.
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Between the ages of 37 and 39: Chances are roughly 46% within six cycles and 67% chance within 12 cycles.
In Your Early 40s
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Age 40: According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), your chance of pregnancy at age 40 is less than 5% per cycle. Around 1 in 10 women will get pregnant per menstrual cycle at this age, says ACOG.
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Between the ages of 40 to 45: Chances are around 28% within six cycles and 56% within 12 cycles. Overall, women in this age ranges are 60% less likely to conceive in than women in their early 20s.
In Your Mid-to-Late 40s
By the time you’re in your mid-40s, getting pregnant naturally is pretty unlikely. Miscarriage is also common at this age, with about 40% of pregnancies in women over 40 ending in miscarriage.
Even if you haven’t reached menopause, you may still not be able to get pregnant, as your ovulation patterns, hormone levels, and egg quality have declined.
What Causes Fertility to Decrease as Women Age
There’s no one reason why fertility declines as you age. It’s a combination of factors, some that are biological and common to all women, and some that are specific to you and your life. Remember that many of these factors are not in your control.
Some of the factors that impact declining fertility are ovarian reserve and genetic abnormalities.
Ovarian Reserve
We’ve already covered the fact that you are born with all the eggs you’ll ever have and that you lose about 1000 with each menstrual cycle. Now we’ll cover your “ovarian reserve.” This term refers to the number of eggs left in your ovaries. It’s not always a measure of egg quality, but ovarian reserve can affect your overall egg quality and the chances you’ll get pregnant.
Yes, the concept of an ovarian reserve can be a little confusing—but the most important thing to remember is that having a low ovarian reserve doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get pregnant, especially if you’re in your 20s or early 30s.
If you are undergoing fertility testing, your healthcare provider may test your ovarian reserve, but it may not provide useful information.
Overall, ovarian reserve testing is most beneficial for women who are using fertility treatments rather than women who are trying to get pregnant naturally.
One way to test your ovarian reserve is a fertility blood test, which measures Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), a hormone produced by ovarian follicles, to estimate egg count and predict how the body might respond to fertility treatments. AMH levels naturally decline with age as fewer eggs develop into follicles, while higher levels suggest more follicle activity. Normal AMH levels typically range from 1.0–4.0 ng/ml, with levels below 1.0 ng/ml indicating a lower ovarian reserve.
It’s important to note that AMH levels can vary from cycle to cycle and may improve with diet and supplements, offering some flexibility in managing ovarian health.
Genetic Abnormalities
As you get older, it’s more common to have eggs with abnormalities. When an egg has an abnormality, there’s less chance of fertilization. If fertilized, there’s a greater chance that the embryo won’t attach to the uterine wall or grow appropriately. The most common type of abnormality is a chromosomal abnormality, which means there is a problem with the genes encoded within the egg.
Chromosomal abnormalities can cause both infertility and miscarriage, as well as health issues and conditions in fetuses and babies.
Can You Increase Your Fertility at Any Age?
All of this information may be overwhelming or scary, especially if you want to have a baby at the later end of your reproductive years. But don’t worry—there is so much you can do to stay healthy and fertile, even well into your 40s! The healthier you are, the bigger the chance you’ll be able to get pregnant and carry a healthy baby.
There are lifestyle changes you can make to increase fertility, including:
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Wating a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet,
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Reducing your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals,
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Getting enough sleep, and
Another key factor is lowering your stress. We know that’s easier said than done when you’re TTC, but stress can affect ovulation.
You can increase your chances of conceiving at any age when you stay aware of your fertility. Monitor your body for signs of ovulation and time sex so you can catch an egg and maximize the chance of pregnancy.
Assisted reproduction options, like Intrauterine insemination (IUI) and In vitro fertilization (IVF), are also options. They can’t reverse any decline in fertility you’ve already had, but these procedures can optimize your own body’s stores to help you get pregnant.
Another option is freezing your eggs. Doing so allows you to use younger, healthier eggs down the line when you are ready to become a parent. The same applies to embryo banking when you use eggs and sperm to create embryos for transfer in the future.
Navigating all of the unknowns around fertility and conception is a lot. But remember—knowledge is power. Knowing the basics about female fertility and your chances of getting pregnant as you age (as well as the options you have to increase fertility and use medical support if needed) will help you feel empowered and informed. Your journey is unique—take it step-by-step, and don’t be afraid to reach out for support along the way.
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