Age 35 Isn’t a Fertility Cliff. Why Do We Think It Is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be good for women to know: "One of the largest studies found that 78 percent of women aged 35 to 40 will conceive within a year, compared with 84 percent of women aged 20 to 34."

The difference between the groups isn't the part that stands out as much as the 16% of women 20-34 who WON'T conceive in a year and the 22% ages 35-40. I honestly didn't know the number was that high.

Conceiving is one thing, but conceiving a normal-karyotype pregnancy and carrying to term is something else.

Good point, I assume it meant "successfully conceive and carry to term", but shoot, if the measure is actually conception, then I fit within that statistic. Don't mind that they've all be miscarriages with 3 years and no baby yet to show for it...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Age 35 isn't some light switch that makes fertility go from good to bad ... but, all things being equal, a woman is better off trying to have a baby earlier rather than later, no? Of course the realities of life -- when you find a partner, feel like you're in a stable position to support a child, feel ready, etc -- all play a huge role ... but if you're ready and able to have a kid at 34 or at 37, better to opt for 34, no?

Feel like the slate article was written for me! Got married at 30 and wanted 3 children. Was more or less constantly pregnant for the next 4 years. Turned 35 one month after third was born! The chaos of having 3 under 4 years old was hard on my body, our careers and our marriage. Not to mention having nannies quit. I believed I HAD to have 3 before 35. If I had known there was no cliff, our lives might have been somewhat calmer and more normal. Also wouldn't have had 3 in college at the same time. Yowsa!

[Anonymous]

I got pregnant on the pill shortly before I turned 41. Delivered a healthy baby. I realize it was a low probability event.

[Anonymous]

I got pregnant on the first try at 35 and had a super easy pregnancy and delivery. Then started TTC #2 at 37 and could not get pregnant. Tried for 5 years to have a second, no luck. Fertility treatments, surgery did not help. I wish I had known about AMH testing, no Dr. had ever mentioned it to me. At 37 when I got my AMH tested it was .30.