Maternal age factor
More and more women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to have children. Actually, about 20 percent of women in the United States now have their first child after age 35. So age is an increasingly common cause of fertility problems. About one third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems.

Aging decreases a woman's chances of having a baby in the following ways:

    * The ability of a woman's ovaries to release eggs ready for fertilization declines with age.
    * The health of a woman's eggs declines with age.
    * As a woman ages she is more likely to have health problems that can interfere with fertility.
    * As a women ages, her risk of having a miscarriage increases.

Health issues that affect fertility
Some health issues also increase the risk of fertility problems. So women with the following issues should speak to their doctors as soon as possible:

    * irregular periods or no menstrual periods
    * very painful periods
    * endometriosis
    * pelvic inflammatory disease
    * more than one miscarriage

No matter how old you are, it's always a good idea to talk to a doctor before you start trying to get pregnant. Doctors can help you prepare your body for a healthy baby. They can also answer questions on fertility and give tips on conceiving.