Ticking Clocks And Happy Endings

Overcoming late marriage fertility challenges.

- Renuka Vishwanathan

Getting married in the early or late thirties, and even early forties, is becoming common among men and women. Marriage is now sidelined as other life priorities take precedence, such as a career, gaining financial security, or self-discovery. While these may be sound choices, they can lead to issues with conceiving when couples plan for a child. Age and fertility are interconnected, and late marriage can contribute to infertility issues.

The Link Between Infertility And Age

It is common to find fertility issues in couples who marry late. There is a factual decrease in fertility with age, which applies to both men and women.

In women, the most crucial factors are the quality and quantity of eggs. As a woman ages, her egg quality declines, and the number of viable and healthy eggs produced in the ovaries decreases. For instance, the availability of eggs in a woman in her late 30s or 40s is significantly lower compared to a woman in her 20s.

At birth, a girl is born with approximately one to two million eggs. This number decreases daily, leaving around 300,000 to 400,000 eggs by the time she reaches adolescence or puberty. With the onset of menstruation, eggs are released in every cycle. About 1,000 eggs die each month, and only one is released during ovulation. By her late thirties, a woman's egg count is approximately 25,000.

A woman's peak fertility period is in her late teens to 20s, a time when the ovaries have a large number of high-quality eggs. This is the best time for conception as the chances of success are very high. However, individual fertility varies.

The Decline In Fertility

As a woman enters her 30s, there is a noticeable change in fertility levels. At the age of 30, the chance of conceiving naturally each month is 1 in 5. After 35, there is a further decrease in the quality and quantity of eggs, making it more challenging to conceive.