FERTILITY FORMULAS

A couple’s chances of falling pregnant in a given month (menstrual cycle) is based on two main factors:

1. The number of cycles that they had been trying to conceive

2. The woman’s age – as women grow older it becomes more difficult to conceive a baby

What is often considered subfertility – trying to conceive without success for one year – is a fairly reasonable indication of fertility problems.

Based on predictions for women over the age of 35, it may be more appropriate to start thinking about investigation and possible treatments earlier for those over the age of 35, than for younger women, possibly after six months.

The mathematical formula is highly complex and its reliability will need to be assessed with further testing. The main finding will not come as any great surprise, either to fertility experts, or the general public: female fertility declines with age.

The longer it takes a couple to conceive, the more their chances of conceiving in subsequent months go down.

As women age, their fertility declines, so age ultimately influences how many cycles will need to elapse before the woman becomes pregnant. For women aged from 25 to 30 there is little difference in their chances of conceiving on the next cycle, but the chances drop from the age of 35 upwards.