I recently read a Vogue India article titled “Having a baby in your 40s is a great thing actually.”
And I agree. By this stage, many women are more confident, financially secure and emotionally grounded.
However, from the perspective of a reproductive endocrinologist, there is an important medical reality to acknowledge.
While parenthood is legally permissible within defined age limits, those limits exist because egg and sperm quality and quantity decline with age. This leads to reduced chances of conception—both spontaneous and assisted along with increased risks of chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, higher miscarriage rates, preterm labour and pregnancy-related conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
Ageing also brings physical and mental changes that can impact the demands of pregnancy and motherhood.
As more women delay childbearing for career and social reasons, early fertility awareness becomes crucial.
If delayed pregnancy is likely, ovarian reserve testing and ultrasound assessment of egg count should be done early—ideally from the mid-20s. Semen analysis should also be considered early, even for single men who may wish to freeze sperm.
Options like egg freezing, sperm freezing and embryo freezing allow fertility potential to be preserved at a younger age particularly important for women who may not wish to use donor eggs later.
Plan early.
Lock in your fertility.
Own your motherhood.