After the age of 35 years, there is a natural decline in both the quantity and quality of eggs.1,4
Quantity of eggs
Females have a fixed number of eggs at birth, and as they age there is a natural depletion in egg count. Quantity is often categorised as low, normal or high ovarian reserve; as the term suggests, this categorises whether there is a low, normal or high egg count still available.1,4
Quality of eggs
With age, egg quality decreases and the likelihood of chromosomal abnormalities (irregularities in DNA) increases.5 If you become pregnant at an older age, you may undergo genetic testing to check for possible abnormalities of your embryo before proceeding with the pregnancy.
This does not mean that women cannot and should not get pregnant when they are older.
Age is just something that you will need to consider when beginning this journey.
Tip
After the age of 35 years, you may want to see a fertility specialist after 6 months of not being able to conceive, instead of waiting the suggested full year.3
- Family planning NSW. Infertility. Available at: https://www.fpnsw.org.au/factsheets/individuals/fertility-and-infertility/infertility. Accessed April 2024.
- World Health Organization. Infertility. September 2020. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infertility. Accessed April 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Diminished ovarian reserve. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23975-diminished-ovarian-reserve. Accessed April 2024.
- Your Fertility. Age and reproductive outcomes. Available at: https://www.yourfertility.org.au/sites/default/files/2018-11/Age_and_reproductive_outcomes.pdf. Accessed April 2024.
- Your Fertility. Thinking about having a baby? Available at: https://www.yourfertility.org.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/Thinking_about_having_a_baby_resource.pdf. Accessed April 2024.
- Healthline. What is a normal sperm count? Reviewed August 2018. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/normal-sperm-count. Accessed April 2024.
- Healthline. How does sperm morphology affect fertility? Reviewed August 2017. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/sperm-morphology. Accessed April 2024.
- Medical News Today. How does sperm motility affect fertility? Reviewed November 2017. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320160. Accessed April 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Female reproductive system. Reviewed November 2022. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9118-female-reproductive-system. Accessed April 2024.
- Oyelowo T. Menstrual cycle. In: Mosby’s guide to women’s health. Missouri: Mosby, 2007: pp 11–15.
- MSD Manual. Overview of infertility. Reviewed September 2020. Available at: https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-nz/professional/gynecology-and-obstetrics/infertility/overview-of-infertility. Accessed April 2024.
- Jain M, Singh M. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) techniques. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island: StatPearls Publishing, 2023. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576409. Accessed April 2024.
- Oyelowo T. Anatomy, physiology, and neurology. In: Mosby’s guide to women’s health. Missouri: Mosby, 2007: pp 1–7.
- Patton KT, et al. Anatomy and physiology, 11th ed. Missouri: Elsevier, 2022.
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. What are some possible causes of female infertility? Available at: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/causes/causes-female. Accessed April 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infertility FAQs. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/index.htm. Accessed April 2024.
- Mayo Clinic. Female infertility. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/female-infertility/symptoms-causes/syc-20354308. Accessed April 2024.
- Mayo Clinic. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20352594. Accessed April 2024.
- Oyelowo T. Pelvic inflammatory disease. In: Mosby’s guide to women’s health. Missouri: Mosby, 2007: pp 168–71.
- Cleveland Clinic. Uterine factor infertility. Reviewed January 2020. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17738-uterine-factor-infertility. Accessed April 2024.
- Healthy Male (Andrology Australia). Male infertility. Reviewed May 2018. Available at: https://www.healthymale.org.au/files/resources/male_infertility_fact_sheet_healthy_male_2019.pdf. Accessed April 2024.
- Mayo Clinic. Infertility. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/infertility/symptoms-causes/syc-20354317. Accessed April 2024.
- Gnoth C, et al. Hum Reprod 2008; 23(6): 1359–65.
- Zhang LJ, et al. BC Med J 2020; 62(9): 319–22.
- Healthline. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): symptoms, causes, and treatment. Reviewed April 2021. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/polycystic-ovary-disease. Accessed April 2024.
