Getting pregnant after 35: our advice

Today, women are having children later and later. Some wait until they have a stable professional and personal life before fulfilling their desire for motherhood. However, be aware that from 35, fertility declines and it may take longer to get pregnant. Here are our tips.

No, having a baby is not easy for everyone. All the more so after a certain age. If at 35 we are still young, we are unfortunately confronted with our biological clock. From this age, fertility declines dramatically and it may take longer to get pregnant. Obviously, this number is an average and every body is different. But if you are considering a maternity project after your 30s, check out our tips to put the odds in your favor.

First, be aware that there are only a few definite days in a woman's menstrual cycle when she can get pregnant. This is the ovulation phase. A woman's cycle always begins on the first day of her period. Depending on the length of the cycle, ovulation occurs on around day 14 (you can also calculate your ovulation yourself). It is only during this phase that you have a good chance of getting pregnant.

Note that pregnancy is also possible if sexual intercourse has taken place in the days preceding ovulation. This is because a man's sperm can survive for up to four days in a woman's vagina. However, you are much more likely to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex on the day of ovulation yourself.

Women are having children later and later!

According to an INSEE report from 2019, the average age of childbearing continues to increase. He is now 30.7 years old, compared to 29.3 years twenty years earlier. In addition, the fertility rate of women under 30 has declined since 2000, with a marked acceleration since 2015.

Thirties in itself is a good time to get pregnant. By the age of 30, you have often already started working life, finished your studies, worked a few years and perhaps made a career. Student nights are behind you – even if you keep your party girl soul – and many have already saved a bit of money. All in all, you are more mature and you feel ready to take the next step: having a child. If you also have the right person on your side, the baby project can move on to the concrete implementation phase.

Why it can be harder to get pregnant past 35

Unfortunately, after 35 years, it is not always easy to get pregnant. At 30, women don't notice any difference, but by the mid-thirties the chances of getting pregnant drop sharply. As explained above, fertility decreases abysmally each year. The woman no longer ovulates every month and without ovulation, pregnancy is impossible.

Another problem: from the age of 35, it is considered that pregnancy is more at risk than a pregnancy at age 30. The probability of a miscarriage increases considerably, it is 20% from 35 years and 40% from 40 years. According to the CNGOF (French National College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians) the premature birth rate increases by 5 to 10% after 35 years, and the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy is multiplied by 5. The risk rate of gestational diabetes is it is also on the rise, as is the risk of hypertension. In women, it goes from 4% before age 35 to 7% after.

The best tips for getting pregnant after 35

Since it is more difficult to get pregnant after 35, then here are some tips so that you can hold the baby of your dreams in your arms soon:

  • Keep an eye on your cycle. Take an ovulation test to find out exactly when ovulation will occur, or use other methods to calculate it.
  • Make sure you eat a balanced diet. Drink alcohol as infrequently as possible and reduce your tobacco consumption considerably.
  • Unfortunately, weight affects fertility. A study has shown that 12% of cases of primary infertility are caused by weight problems, according to Laurence Lévy-Dutel, gynecologist-endocrinologist. This is why a woman who wants to get pregnant is recommended to pay attention to her weight. Excessive thinness or extra pounds can decrease the chances.
  • Obtain a folic acid preparation at the pharmacy. Most women have a slight lack of vitamin B9 (another name given). During the first weeks of pregnancy, however, folic acid is very important for the healthy development of the baby. He would also have a role to play in the conception of the child!
  • Relax. Stress is poisonous if you want to get pregnant. Make room in your head.

Read also:

Single at 41, Audrey Page used assisted reproduction to have a baby: "Being able to control your fertility also means emancipating yourself as a woman"

Painful ovulation: is it normal to hurt when I ovulate?

What is the ideal age to get pregnant?

Video by Loïcia Fouillen