Women’s age
A woman’s age is the single most important factor that affect her chances of getting pregnant.Women are born with all the eggs she will ever have. A woman in her 20s has healthier and greater number of eggs than does a women in her 30s. Female fertility starts to decline after the age of 30 and is half as fertile at 40 than when she was 30.
Men’s age
The number and motility of sperm decreases as men age. The chance of miscarriage is also higher if the male partner is older than 50 at the time of conception.
When are women most fertile?
Women can only get pregnant on certain days in a menstrual cycle. This ‘fertile window’ includes the day of ovulation and the five days before that. The released egg travels from the ovaries down the fallopian tube towards to the uterus. For women to get pregnant, sperm have to be present in the fallopian tube and fertilize the egg to form an embryo. Having sex 1-2 days before ovulation will give you a high chance of pregnancy.
How do I know when I’m ovulating?
Whether you are trying to get pregnant or are trying to avoid pregnancy, it is useful to know your most fertile days in a month.
You may keep track of your ovulation by:
Keeping a fertility calendar – A woman typically ovulates 14 days before her menstrual cycle starts. However this method may not be suitable for women with irregular menstrual cycles.
Charting body temperature – Your body temperature rises when you ovulate, and stays high for two weeks and lowers just before menstruation. Try measuring your body temperature when you’re at rest at the same time every morning to chart more effectively.
Tracking changes in cervical mucus – When you’re about to ovulate, your cervical mucus resembles raw egg white (wet and stretches between your fingers), and this is the best time for intercourse.