What is the Best Age to Get Pregnant?

The decision to have kids is personal. There is also no wrong or right answer to the question of being ready to become a mother. And, age is not the only factor which could affect the ability of a woman to conceive. But it does play an important role in getting pregnant and during pregnancy. Today, women have more control in deciding when they want to start their family than they did in the past. This is because of the development of Contraceptives and various Reproductive Technologies. Women can have children from puberty to menopause. Each age comes with different experience. Though every woman is different, the emotional and physical factors of pregnancy are partly affected by how old a woman is. There's no specific age that works for every woman when it comes to having a baby. 

Though there is a perfect age range that our bodies are best suited to conceive and carry pregnancy. Can you guess what they are?

Age and Eggs

A woman is always born with all the eggs she ever would have. When she ages, her eggs also mature. Over time, their quantity and quality of these eggs decline. Her chance of getting pregnant and having a baby decreases with time especially women over the age of 35. Although women on the outside are bright, young and youthful. Their ovaries on the inside know exactly what their birth certificate states.

Before you're 20

Most women in this age range are young and are not always matured enough for pregnancy. Though there is no denial that women are most fertile in this age range than you are ever going to be. You are likely to have a lower weight which will help reduce risk of pregnancy complication. These may include Gestational Diabetes And Hypertension. But you may not have the capacity to handle the financial requirements that comes with having a baby. It may also be hard to become a parent when you also need a great lot of parenting. It can be challenging to deal with pregnancy at this age.

In your 20s

Considering medical and physical factors, this is the ideal age range to get pregnant. You have a higher probability of getting pregnant easier in your early 20s. Women are most fertile in their 20's. This age range comes with the best chance of becoming pregnant. It is this time that the greatest possible number of healthy and quality eggs are available. The erratic cycles that are prevalent in your teen years have smoothed out. This makes your ovulation more reliable and predictable. Getting pregnant in your 20s is not only easiest, carrying the pregnancy is also easier too. A younger body can best withstand the extra load on the bones, back and muscles during pregnancy. You are in the best state of your adult life. This may mean your years away from any medical problems that may come as age increases.

In your 20s, the risk of complications related to pregnancy is usually low. Though there is one significant exception: Preeclampsia, or Hypertension caused by pregnancy. Preeclampsia relates less to age. Women are still very fertile in the early 20s. They have an average 25 percent chance of conceiving every month. Medically, getting pregnant in your mid or late 20s is still the same as getting pregnant in your early 20s. Most females still have about 25% chance of getting pregnant every month.

Nowadays, age 25 is the time that many young women graduated from the university. Or they are trying to get a good career, or trying to find somebody who will have babies with them.

In Your 30s

Most females who have reached 30 years of age have had lots of ample time enjoying their years as young adult. They have pursued their careers and get to understand themselves. This should have made them more prepared for pregnancy. As you were acquiring the experience of life your eggs were also maturing. On the average, women are born with half of a million eggs. The ripest ones for fertility are first released, leaving the slower ones behind as you age.

It is valid that fertility starts declining significantly at age 32, and faster at 37. Fertility aid, such as IVF success rates, also decline rapidly. Health risks also begin to rise little by little. These may include Hypertension, and Diabetes during pregnancy. Preeclampsia, as well as rates of chromosomal abnormalities also rise. Declining fertility starts after the mid-30s. Even with good health, at 35, you have an increasing risk for pregnancy-specific issues. An example is Gestational Diabetes. This is because you are gradually experiencing a decrease in your fertility. In general, age 35 marks the formal start of "High Risk" pregnancy and childbirth. Also, at 35, your chances of having a baby with a chromosomal disorder like Down Syndrome are higher. Previous incidence of pregnancies or Cesarean Sections increases the likelihood of certain disorders. An example is Placenta Previa. Females in this age range should seek support after attempting for 6 months. Visit your Gynecologist or REI expert.

In Your 40s

Medically, this age range is the toughest age range for pregnancy. By this time, your body has run through your eggs with the best quality, which makes conception slower. At this age of 40, a healthy woman has less than 5 percent chances of getting pregnant per month.

The greater concern is the medical risks associated with this age during pregnancy. Women over 40 years of age have a rise in early pregnancy problems. This can include Miscarriage or Ectopic Pregnancies. They also have a high probability of later pregnancy complications. Examples are Diabetes, Preeclampsia, Placental and issues such as Low Birth Weight. Other complications are Placenta Previa, Premature Delivery, and higher rate of Fetal Mortality. These complications increase if a woman has any pre-existing pregnancy complications.

In the good side, women in this age tend to have achieved greater financial stability. This will allow them focus more on being a mother.

Conception Tips

Are you're willing and ready to start trying to have a baby? Here's a couple of tips you can follow to help make motherhood a reality:

· Ensure you get a healthy weight. A perfect index of body mass is 19 to 24. Being overweight or underweight can affect your ovulating capacity.

· Stop smoking. Smoking will destroy your egg production. It will also make you more vulnerable to miscarriage if you get pregnant.

· Check your diet. Consuming too much of fat may cause weight gain. This may disrupt the process of reproduction.

· Reduce your intake of alcohol and caffeine. Studies have shown that excess amounts of caffeine can cause miscarriage. Also, regular intake of alcohol will increase the time it takes for you to get pregnant. It is also dangerous for fetal development.

· Treat any illness that can threaten pregnancy like high blood pressure and diabetes.

· Have a preconception talk with your Obstetrician. This will help check to make sure you're healthy enough to get pregnant. Then keep abreast of all your pregnancy appointments. Seeing you frequently will allow your doctor track your health and that of your infant. It will also give opportunity to discuss any issues that may arise.

· Ensure to take good care of your body. Follow a healthy diet plan, exercise more often and sleep sufficiently.

If you're worried about getting pregnant, see your gynecologist or a fertility specialist.

BOTTOM LINE

The best time to get pregnant is before you clock 30. It takes longer to conceive as women get older, and the chance of having a baby also reduces. The age of a woman is the most significant factor that affects her fertility and having a baby. It's a biological reality that the capacity of having children declines with age. The exact time when this begins to happen will differ among women. Once you clock 30 years of age, particularly 35 and above, we begin to see a decline in fertility. But you also need to know how many children you like to have. The progressing years can make pregnancy more complicated. But having a healthy baby is still possible in your 30s or 40s.

There is no correct or wrong answer on the best age for getting pregnant. Biologically, the answer is the early 20s, but many variables are always considered. Many of these factors vary by person. Your best plan is to do what you feel right no matter what that is. In the end, you are the one who will decide the perfect time for you to get pregnant. It is not wrong if you decide to wait to build your career and financial stability before having a child.

Economic issues, education and personal opinion now imply that for many women, having a baby may no longer be in their safest or most fertile time. If you want to wait, you may need to visit your fertility specialist or doctor. This is to ensure that there are no health issues in your way when you are ready.