What is the Best Age for a Woman to Get Pregnant?

Being blessed with motherhood is one of the most precious gifts bestowed on a woman by nature. But being a woman of today, you might have a lot of things on your plate that may make it difficult to conceive early on. This can leave you wondering—is there a perfect age to be pregnant?

Well, there is no fixed answer to this kind of question as every woman is different and may have different circumstances. Here you can get the information you need to decide the best age to get pregnant.

The Relation between Age and Pregnancy

Biologically, a female can conceive any time from when she starts menstruating till the time her menstruation cycle stops; the average starting age of menstruation is 12 and 45 is the average ending age of menstruation cycles. However, this doesn’t mean that 12 to 18 is a good age to get pregnant.

Considering the physical, mental, and emotional readiness of a woman, 25-30 years is considered the ideal age for getting pregnant. That doesn’t mean that one cannot get pregnant with a healthy child post 30s or 40s. This is the reason why many experts believe that there is no ‘best age to get pregnant.’

A females fertility declines naturally as she gets older, which can make it difficult for her to conceive with advancing age. Each woman is born with about 2 million eggs in her ovarian reserve, but as she gets older the quantity and quality of her eggs also declines. By the time you cross the age of 35, your ovarian reserve will shrink significantly. This contributes to a steep decline in fertility after 35 years of age.

Pregnancy Before Age 20

Although a physical possibility, getting pregnant before age 20 is usually not the best scenario. During this age, women are usually studying for building a career, getting married and adjusting to their new lives, or adapting to the concept of being responsible adults. Additionally, they might not have adequate financial resources to take care of a growing child or be mentally or emotionally ready to become a mother; being a parent can be hard, especially when you are just figuring out life. The risk of preeclampsia is also greater in the females of this age group.

Pregnancy Between Age 20 and 24

The fertility peaks for most women when they are between 20 and 24 years old. There is an about 85% chances of conception within 1 year of trying for this age group. For some people in this age group, financial restrains may still be holding them back from having a child as they may be dealing with student loans or are not earning enough to support a family. During this time, many women are also figuring out their jobs and transitions that come along with it, which can contribute to further stress if they need to take care of a child.>

In the early 20s, a woman has the best chance to conceive with the highest numbers of egg in her whole lifetime. But women of this age may not be ready to start a family so soon. So, some may wait until their late 20s to get pregnant. At this age, women still have a 25 percent chance of achieving pregnancy every month. The risks and complications involved during pregnancy in your 20s are significantly less.

Pregnancy Between Age 25 and 29

For women with a healthy lifestyle, age between 25 and 29 is usually considered a better age to get pregnant than before 20. The chances of conception at this stage in a woman’s life are like those of in her early 20s. At this time around, most women have figured out a way to earn stable income and be financially capable to support a child. People who wish to delay childbearing usually have a child in their late 20s to avoid the decline in fertility that comes after 30.

Pregnancy Between Age 30 and 34

The early 30s is the time when most career-oriented women, who have found a stable relationship, prefer to start a family. By 30s, the chance of getting pregnant every month hovers around 20 percent. Fertility starts to decline at this age and the risks of miscarriage, and the chances of C-section are twice as high as they were in the 20s. Thorough screening and tests may be required at this age.

Getting pregnant in your early 30s gives you plenty of time to enjoy your adulthood, understand yourself better, and explore your career options. However, this also reduces your chances of having multiple children with ease. The time required to heal between two consecutive pregnancies may cost you in terms of fertility. However, you have the choice to consider In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) in case you encounter problems while conceiving.

A gradual decline in a woman’s fertility usually starts when she turns 32. People who wish to have only 1 or 2 children can usually wait till their early 30s to conceive.

Pregnancy Between Age 35 and 39

In most cases, a steep decline can be observed in the fertility of a woman after she crosses 35. Thus, people who have waited till their late 30s to conceive might experience infertility. The decline in a female’s fertility speeds up when she hits 37 and keeps dropping after that, till she reaches the stage of menopause.

People in their mid-to-late 30s are recommended to speak with a fertility specialist or their primary care provider for further guidance, especially if they are having trouble conceiving after trying regularly for more than 6 months.

Health risks, including gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, chromosomal abnormalities, and miscarriages, also increase with age. Having a child at this age may be a little taxing on your body; however, a healthy pregnancy is also possible in your late 30s.

Pregnancy Between Age 40 and 45 or Older

As a female turns 40, her chances of conception in each menstrual cycle drops to less than 5%. These women, if they get pregnant, are more likely to experience ectopic pregnancies (where the embryo implants itself outside the uterus and become a threat to the mother) or miscarriages in the early stages of the pregnancy.

By 40s most women have health conditions like, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. that can adversely affect their pregnancy. At this age, their eggs start to decline its quantity and quality. With older eggs, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities, placenta previa, preterm labour, and low birth rate are much higher. These risks increase in likelihood if the woman has pre-existing conditions mentioned above.

However, you don’t need to fret; if you are not experiencing success in natural conception, you can consider IVF treatment and other assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to enhance your chances of success. Many women have successfully delivered healthy babies in their 40s.

In the End

With the help of above-mentioned information, you can conclude your answer to ‘What is the best age to get pregnant?’ Science indicates that the best time to conceive when your body is physically ready to have children is in your early 20s, especially if you want to have more than 2 children. However, this time may not be suitable for some women if they haven’t found the right partner, don’t have adequate finances, and are not mentally ready to become mothers.

Whether you decide to have children early on or want to wait for some time before taking the leap, you should feel ready in every possible way to become a parent. With techniques like IVF, you also have the option to preserve your fertility; you can freeze your good quality eggs in your early 20s if you don’t wish to conceive then and use them later when you are ready.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Age of Getting Pregnant

Q. What is the best age for pregnancy?

A. The best age of getting pregnant is when a person is ready to deal with the changes financially, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Q. When should I consult a fertility doctor?

A. If you are younger than 35 years and haven’t been able to conceive after trying for more than 1 year, you are recommended to visit a fertility specialist. People who are older than 35 recommended to visit the fertility clinic if they are planning on conceiving or experiencing infertility for more than 6 months.

Q. Can I get pregnant in my 40s?

A. Yes. There are numerous women who have given birth to healthy children in their 40s with the help of IVF. However, the risk of pregnancy complications increases with increasing age.

Q. Why does age matter so much in pregnancy?

A. Age is one of the most influential factors that contributes to infertility because the fertility of a women declines gradually as she gets older; her fertility drops significantly after 35.

Q. What are the risks of delaying childbirth?

A. As women age, the quality and quantity of their eggs decrease, which makes it difficult to conceive and keep the pregnancy. Additionally, it increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy, chromosomal abnormalities, and preeclampsia.

Q. Is IVF treatment safe?

A. Yes. Generally, IVF treatment is considered a safe approach of conceiving. However, it has some side-effects and risks just like any other medical procedure.

Q. What if I never become ready to get pregnant?

A. It is natural to worry about something like this, but you don’t need to hurry. If you are unsure, you can rely on techniques like IVF to freeze your eggs.

Q. What are some other factors that affect infertility?

A. Smoking, pelvic infections, chemotherapy, and radiation from cancer treatment are some of the factors that can influence your chances of getting pregnant.

Q. What is the best age to get pregnant with PCOS?

A. PCOS can make it difficult for you to conceive at any age, but you should try conceiving before 35.