Your Biological Clock
I’m In My Thirties. Am I still Fertile?
The short answer is yes, but not as fertile as you used to be. Once you reach your mid-thirties, your chances of becoming pregnant are 10-15% each month. Once you reach your forties it’s dropped to less than 5% a month. If you do become pregnant the chances of miscarriage in your forties rise to 40%.
- young couples with “normal” fertility have a 25 – 30% chance of becoming pregnant each month they try.
- once you reach your mid-thirties, your chances of becoming pregnant are 10-15% each month.
- once you reach your forties it’s dropped to less than 5% a month. If you do become pregnant the chances of miscarriage in your forties rise to 40
The ovulation cycle becomes more unpredictable and your menstrual cycles shorter as you grow older. This means you have a shorter pre-ovulation phase and the opportunity to become pregnant occurs earlier in your cycle. Chances of success become even lower if you or your problems experience irregular ovulation or poor sperm quality. The risk of chromosome abnormalities, such as Down’s syndrome, increases rapidly for couples in their late thirties.
Women in their thirties and forties have never been so healthy, wealthy or independent. However, the reproductive life span of young women today is just as short as it was for our mothers and grandmothers. In the 1970’s, the average age of new mothers was twenty six. In the 2000’s it is thirty and rising rapidly.
Is My Fertility Inherited?
Fertility is to a large extent genetically inherited. If your mother had difficulty getting pregnant after her late twenties there is a chance you may experience similar problems. Similarly, if she had a relatively early menopause, younger than 45 years, then your may experience an early menopause. If however, your mother or grandmother had a baby effortlessly in their late thirties or early forties, you’ll probably be able to do the same.
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