Protect your fertility
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Even if babies are the last thing on your mind at the moment, you can take steps to help maintain your fertility.
Professor William Ledger, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Sheffield, explains the basics.
Age and fertility
When it comes to fertility, age matters.
Many people today wait until they’re older to have children. But fertility declines over time, and you should consider this if you plan to have children later.
Both women and men are at their most fertile in their early 20s.
In women, fertility declines more quickly with age. This decline becomes rapid after the age of 35. This has a number of causes, but particularly the decline in the quality of the eggs released by the ovaries.
Around one-third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems. This rises to two-thirds when the woman is over 40.
Women over 35 are also less likely to become pregnant as a result of fertility treatments, including IVF, and are more likel...
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