Age and Fertility

There's no way around it. Age affects your ability to conceive — for both men and women.

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  • IVF helped Sheelah, in her 40s, achieve the dream of a second child.

The biological clock for women

Age is not an absolute barrier to conception. But as women get older, conception becomes more difficult. Fertility naturally starts to decline in the 20's. After age 35 fertility decreases rapidly. Why? Because women are born with a finite number of eggs. With time, the supply diminishes. The remaining eggs also age along with the rest of the body, as do hormone levels. In some cases, this can cause irregular ovulation.1

Chart showing % conceiving in 12 months, charted by maternal ageThe good news? This is all normal. If you're older, especially over age 40, conceiving may not be easy. But that doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you — or that you shouldn't try or that it is impossible to conceive. If you have any questions, you should talk to your healthcare provider.

The biological clock for men

Yes, it's true: Age also impacts male fertility. As men age, their testosterone levels naturally decline and, in turn, their sex drive may wane. The quality of a man's semen also drops with age. Despite this fact, men continue to produce sperm for their entire lives.2

  • 1. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Age and fertility: a guide for patients. Birmingham, Alabama: American Society for Reproductive Medicine; 2003.
  • 2. IBID p-3, ¶2, line 3

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FIND A FERTILITY SPECIALIST

Enter your Zip code to find a fertility treatment specialist or fertility clinic in your area:

FIND A UROLOGIST

The Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR) can help you locate a urologist in your area.

Locate a Urologist

Indication:
For women, Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection), Gonal-f® RFF (follitropin alfa injection) and Gonal-f® RFF Pen (follitropin alfa injection) are indicated for 1) the induction of ovulation and pregnancy in the anovulatory infertile patient in whom the cause of infertility is functional and not due to primary ovarian failure and 2) for the development of multiple follicles in the ovulatory patient participating in an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) program.
For men, Gonal-f® is also indicated for the induction of spermatogenesis in men with primary and secondary hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in whom the main cause of infertility is not due to primary testicular failure.

Important Safety Information:
These products should only be prescribed by physicians specializing in fertility or reproductive health. Use of Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF by women can result in multiple births. Patients should let their doctor know of any allergic reactions to recombinant FSH preparations or other product ingredients. Patients should also inform their doctor of a history of cancer of the sex organs or brain and uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disease before starting or continuing treatment. Women with a history of abnormal bleeding from the uterus or vagina, swollen, enlarged, or painful ovaries should speak to their doctor before starting treatment. Gonal-f® and Gonal-f® RFF are potent gonadotropic substances capable severe adverse reactions, including Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) in women, which can result hospitalization. Women should inform their doctor if they experience severe stomach pain, vomiting, bloating, or weight gain while taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f RFF®. The most common side effects are headache, ovarian cysts, upset stomach, and sinus infections in women taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF. The most common side effects in men taking Gonal-f® are skin acne, breast pain and growth, and tiredness. Needle injections may cause some discomfort.

For more information, refer to the prescribing and patient information offered below and talk to your doctor.


© EMD Serono, Inc. CIM Last Update 2008-09-16
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