The fertility cliff is the idea that once a woman hits 35, her fertility will drop, leaving her unable to have children. A pregnant woman over 35 is known as a geriatric mother. The term’s origins date back to the 1970’s where doctors advised against women over 35 having children on the basis it would lead to chromosomal abnormalities and is labelled as ‘high risk’.
There are studies that show fertility does decrease over time, as by age 37 a woman has a significantly lower number of viable eggs compared to a 30 year old, however, this is not only an issue for women. Looking at the science, according to the British Fertility Society, women have a 20% chance of a successful conception in each cycle when they are aged 30 or less. In comparison, this percentage drops to 5% when a woman turns 40. Whilst this shows that fertility decreases with age for women, it is not a ‘cliff’ as suggested. This is a more gradual process that comes hand in hand with aging naturally. Of course, there are many stories of women who conceive successfully in their 40s, which whilst unusual is not uncommon.
This is a more gradual process that comes hand in hand with aging naturally.
In contrast, a ‘fertility cliff’ is never used to describe men. A man’s fertility decreases with his age due to the declining testosterone levels, decreased sperm quality and many lifestyle factors. Men can be infertile past a certain age, and well as women, and the blame being solely put onto the women for their decreasing fertility, is an outdated idea in need of change.
The term ‘fertility cliff’ and having a ‘biological clock’ are simply notions which have scared mothers over the age of 35 into considering their pregnancies high risk when medically this is not the case. Labelling a pregnancy over the age of 35 as a ‘geriatric pregnancy’ can cause fear and unnecessary anxiety. This can lead to fear-based decisions and overall makes pregnancy for these women unnecessarily difficult. Every woman’s fertility is different. Putting a cap on fertility at 35 is a badly informed and outdated idea. Declining fertility is more of a slope than a cliff, decreasing gradually with age until menopause. A woman’s fertility based on her age should not be used as a tool to induce fear and anxiety during pregnancy. It is yet another example of male hierarchical medical system which aims to undermine a woman’s choice on when she wants to have a baby.