Many have the misperception that fertility can be turned on and off like a tap and procreation can happen at will. Unfortunately, this is not true.

For young fertile couples under the age of 25, the highest probability of conception in each monthly cycle is 1 in 3. For older couples, the probability is much lower, at an average of 1 in 6.

It is estimated that one in every three couples where the woman is aged 35 or older will have problems with fertility and two-thirds of the women will be unable to conceive naturally by the age of 40. Even success rates of IVF and other assisted conception treatments decline with age.

From the medical point of view, the optimal age to have a child is between 22 and 26 years old. A woman’s chances of conceiving decline with her age. To be more precise, it lies in the quality of her eggs. As a woman ages, she is more likely to produce eggs that cannot be fertilised successfully.

Generally, women’s fertility declines after 30 and faster after 35. After 35 years, the chances of becoming infertile increase significantly and beyond 40, many doctors feel the chances of delivering a healthy baby are low.

As for men, while not as drastic as seen in the eggs of women, the quality of the sperm also tends to decline with age. Studies have shown that men aged 35-39 have significantly lower fertility than younger men.