The Age Factor

It's a fact of nature.

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

Age does affect a women's fertility.

Age is not an absolute barrier to conception, but as a woman gets older it does become more difficult for her to conceive. The truth is that a woman's fertility naturally starts to decline in her late 20's. After age 35 a woman's fertility decreases rapidly. The reason is straightforward. A woman is born with all the eggs she'll have. And with time, the supply diminishes. The remaining eggs also age along with the rest of the body.

There are other age factors. A woman's hormone levels change with age and can, in some cases, cause irregular ovulation. This is all normal. If you're older, especially over the age of 40, it may not be easy to conceive. But that doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you — or that you shouldn't try. If you have any questions, you should talk to your healthcare provider.

Age impacts men too...

Age impacts male fertility as well. As a man gets older, his testosterone level naturally declines and, in turn, his sexual drive may wane. The quality of a man's semen also drops as he gets older. Despite this, he will continue to produce sperm no matter what his age is.