Why is it more difficult to conceive when you are older?

You can blame the ageing process for this. The woman is born with around a million eggs (ova) stored in her ovaries which are released when she starts her periods. An egg is released every month and if not fertilised, breaks down before exiting the body through the vagina (a process known as menstruation).

However, these eggs are not replaced which means that the supply of these decreases over time. And this is more noticeable after the age of 35. This process continues up until the menopause.

Also, the quality of these eggs declines as she ages. A young woman will have a greater percentage of healthy eggs as compared to an older woman. And it’s these healthy eggs which increase her chance of becoming pregnant.

So, you will have fewer eggs than when you were younger and fewer good quality ones as well. Poor quality eggs increase the risk of a miscarriage and genetic disorders such as Down’s syndrome.

Plus younger women tend to have a greater chance of conceiving from fertility treatment, e.g. IVF than older women.

You have probably heard of the phrase ‘your biological clock is ticking’ which is a bit like a fertility warning. In other words, your chances of starting a family are slipping away the longer you leave it.

And, men are not exempt from this either. Scientists have discovered that men also have a biological clock which is related to their fertility. And this starts ticking once they reach their mid thirties.

This may be why doctors are advising couples not to leave it too long before starting a family. Waiting until one of both of you are in your late thirties or forties increases the risk of a miscarriage or birth defects.

Why is it more difficult to conceive when you are older?

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