Women are most fertile in their late teenage years.
FACT. Women are generally thought to be most fertile in their teenage years and early 20s. There is generally a continuous decline in fertility rates with age, with the rate of decline increasing past the age of 35 years and becoming even steeper after 40 years of age.
The probability of conception per month is 20 percent for women in their late 20s and 10 percent for women in their early 30s.
FACT. This may sound harsh, however the overall probability of conceiving within a year falls from over 80 percent for those in their late twenties to just over 70 percent for women in their early 30s.
In a recent article about fertility in older women, professor Jean Twenge argues that the decline in fertility for women in their 30s has been overblown. To find out why, read “How Long Can You Wait to Have a Baby?” at www.theatlantic.com
Weight is a bigger factor than age when it comes to a woman’s chances of conceiving.
FICTION. While optimising your health helps to maximise your chances of conceiving, age and ovarian reserves are still bigger factors than weight.
Women 35 years and older have a higher chance of experiencing pregnancy complications such as diabetes and hypertension.
FACT. In addition, women 35 and older are more likely to miscarry, too.
