Your age and health can affect your chances of getting pregnant. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may help improve your fertility.

age and fertility

When it comes to fertility, age matters. Many people today are waiting to grow up 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 most fertile in their early twenties.

In women, fertility declines more rapidly with age. This decline becomes rapid after the age of 35. There are a number of reasons, but in particular the deterioration in the quality of the eggs released by the ovaries. About 1 in 3 couples over the age of 35 have fertility problems. This rises to 2 in 3 when a woman is over 40.

Women over the age of 35 are less likely to get pregnant as a result of fertility treatments, including IVF, and are more likely to miscarry if they become pregnant. Male fertility gradually declines starting around the age of 40, but most men are able to have children in their 50s and beyond.

Smoking and female fertility

Smoking can cause problems for almost all aspects of the reproductive system. Women who smoke are more likely to have difficulty conceiving, may not respond to infertility treatment, experience early menopause, and have an increased risk of cervical and vulvar cancer. Smoking is associated with an increased risk of infertility, for both women trying to conceive for the first time and women who have been previously pregnant.

Women who smoke also have a lower response to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Women smokers are also at increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of baby health problems including premature birth, low birth weight, cot death (also known as sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS) and breathing problems in the first six months of life.

Smoking and male fertility

Research has shown that male smokers have lower sperm quality and count than non-smokers. Smoking can also lead to male erectile dysfunction. The two main chemicals in cigarettes are nicotine and carbon monoxide, which narrow the arteries and reduce blood flow through the body, affecting blood flow to the penis.

By quitting smoking, you reduce your risk of impotence and improve the quality of your sperm, and you are less likely to get pregnant or become infertile.

For help quitting smoking, call the Smoking Cessation Hotline at 13 7848.

Avoid STDs

Sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can damage a woman’s fallopian tubes, which can make it more difficult to become pregnant. If you think you may have an STI, go to your doctor or sexual health clinic.

be a healthy weight

Being overweight or underweight can reduce your chances of getting pregnant. One cause of infertility is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is made worse by being overweight or obese.

alcohol

The government advises that for women planning a pregnancy, not drinking alcohol is the safest option. This is because no studies have found a safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and many women do not know when they become pregnant.

Men over 3 to 4 units of alcohol per day may damage their sperm.

Keep your testicles cool

A man’s testicles should be one or two degrees cooler than the rest of the body. Tight underwear and hot showers can raise the temperature of the testicles.

Avoid radiation and dangerous chemicals

Exposure to radiation and chemicals such as glycol solvents found in some paints can harm fertility.