Until What Age Can Women Realistically Conceive? Expert Sheds Light

Planning families is not necessarily tied to early adulthood for many women today. Education, career goals, financial stability, and personal choice have shifted timelines, making late pregnancies more common. But even with medical advancements like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and egg freezing, one often tends to think, until what age can a woman realistically conceive?

To help clear the confusion, the editorial team of Onlymyhealth reached out to expert, Dr Manisha Singh, Additional Director, Gynaecologist and Sub-specialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru, and she explained to us how fertility changes with age, the factors that impact conception, and the options available for women who want to delay motherhood.

How Fertility Changes With Age

Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have. They are about 10 to 20 lakhs. By puberty, this number drops down to around three to four lakh, and with each menstrual cycle, the count continues to decline. Along with quantity, egg quality also decreases with age.

According to Dr Singh, the ideal age for a woman to have children would fall between 20 and 30 years. By age 35, fertility starts to decline more steeply. "After 35, the chances of natural conception start noticeably decreasing, and by 40, the decline is quite significant," she shared.

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By age 45, natural conception becomes rare, and even assisted reproductive techniques have lower success rates due to poor egg quality. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule, and there are women who do conceive naturally in their mid-40s, though this is uncommon.

What Is the Realistic Upper Limit for Natural Pregnancy?

While there is no strict age at which conception becomes impossible, doctors generally consider 45 to be the realistic upper limit of age for natural pregnancy. "Beyond 45, the chances are extremely low because both egg quality and ovarian reserve are minimal," said Dr Singh.

It is equally important to acknowledge that, even in cases of conception, complications increase significantly with advanced maternal age, including gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, chromosomal abnormalities, and miscarriage.

How Long Can Women Conceive Using Assisted Reproductive Techniques?

IVF, donor eggs, and better reproductive technologies have made it possible for women to become mothers even after their natural fertility has waned. Dr Singh explained:

• IVF using one's own eggs is more successful up until the age of about 42. Beyond this point, egg quality becomes a major limitation.
• IVF with donor eggs can extend the possibility of pregnancy until 50 or even 52, depending on a woman’s overall health and medical clearance.
• Even with the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), late-age pregnancies may not be indicated for women with health issues, uncontrolled chronic conditions, or a high-risk medical profile.
• Most ethical and medical guidelines followed by hospitals restrict IVF treatment to women below 50 to 52 years.

Why Egg Freezing Has Become an Important Option for Women

With more women choosing to delay motherhood, egg freezing is becoming a viable insurance policy for the future. When eggs are frozen at a younger age, preferably before 35, they retain their quality, improving the chances of a healthy pregnancy later.

According to Dr Singh, "Egg freezing does not guarantee pregnancy, but it increases the chances significantly and gives women more control over their reproductive timeline."

Planning a Pregnancy Later in Life: What Women Should Know

For those planning a late pregnancy, Dr Singh recommended:

• Preconception counseling to assess health risks
• Thorough screening for diabetes, hypertension, and thyroid disorders
• Understanding of realistic expectations about success rates and complications
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating proper nutrition and exercising regularly
• Avoiding delays once the decision to conceive has been made
• She further stresses that emotional preparedness is equally vital as physical well-being.

Bottomline

Women can naturally conceive until about age 45, but their fertility declines dramatically after age 35. It becomes longer with assisted reproductive options, although health and egg quality remain vital factors.