I am a fertility specialist. Being healthy doesn't mean you can conceive at any age

Regular periods, a healthy lifestyle and normal health reports do not stop the biological ageing of the ovaries. As a fertility specialist, this is one of the most important realities I explain to women planning pregnancy later in life.Your ovaries age too, even if you feel healthyEditor’s Note: In this fortnightly column, top doctors share how they deal with their own health challenges, offering readers expert insight grounded in experience. Read more such stories here.“Doctor, my periods are regular. I follow a healthy lifestyle, eat well, exercise regularly, and all my health check-ups are normal. So, I believe I still have plenty of time to plan my pregnancy naturally.”This is one of the most common conversations I have every day in my clinic. Most of these women are in their mid-30s or even in their 40s, and they believe that because they are physically active and menstruating regularly, their ability to conceive has not changed much.That is when I gently try to debunk one of the biggest fertility myths I hear: being healthy does not halt the ageing process of the body. You are not just growing older with each passing year; your ovaries are ageing too. My intention is not to scare or rush women into having children. My goal is to educate women and help them make informed reproductive decisions.WHY THIS MYTH IS BECOMING MORE COMMONIt is easy to understand why women believe fertility can be delayed indefinitely. Almost every other week, there is another story about a celebrity getting pregnant at 40+. While such stories may be motivating, they rarely tell the complete journey. Instead, they can sometimes create a false impression that being 40+ is no longer a problem and that modern medicine can solve every biological obstacle.What we see on social media is a single moment of celebration, not always the entire story.Behind those pictures of celebration, there may have been years of fertility struggles, repeated treatment cycles, miscarriages or failed attempts. Some women may have achieved pregnancy with donor eggs or embryos, while others may have frozen their eggs when they were younger.Some may have conceived naturally, while others may have needed advanced fertility treatment.However, such stories can mislead women into thinking that if someone manages to get pregnant naturally at 40+, everyone will.YOUR OVARIES FOLLOW A BIOLOGICAL CLOCKOne of the first things I make my patients understand is that although we are healthier and live longer, our ovaries continue to follow their biological timeline.Unlike muscles, the ovaries cannot regenerate themselves. Every woman is born with a fixed number of eggs, and that number decreases over time. It is not only the number of eggs that decreases; their quality also declines.There is no sudden overnight change. It is a gradual process. Fertility starts to decline gradually in the early 30s, the acceleration becomes especially noticeable around 35, and fertility declines more steeply as you approach 40.As egg quality declines, the possibility of conception decreases, miscarriage becomes more likely, and the risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases.It is simply biology, not an indication of how healthy a woman has been.THE SMARTPHONE BATTERY ANALOGY I USE WITH MY PATIENTSThis is where another misconception becomes important: the belief that IVF can compensate for fertility decline and help a woman conceive at any age.I often explain fertility to my patients by comparing it with a smartphone battery.You may have been using a smartphone for several years and taking good care of it. It may still look brand new from the outside, but its battery life inevitably decreases with time. It can never remain the same, regardless of how well you have cared for it.The reproductive system functions in a similar way.A woman may look younger than her age, feel energetic, exercise every day, follow a balanced diet and have perfectly normal blood test reports. All of these things are good for overall health and can support fertility.But they cannot halt or reverse the natural ageing process taking place inside the ovaries.THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT IVFAnother statement I hear quite frequently is: “If I am unable to conceive naturally later, I can simply opt for IVF.”The reason this is so commonly said is understandable. IVF is a revolution in reproductive medicine and has helped millions of couples achieve parenthood.But this misconception still needs to be corrected.IVF is an advanced scientific technology, but it cannot reverse biological ageing. It cannot make ageing eggs young again.IVF can stimulate the ovaries and help grow the existing eggs in the ovaries. It can retrieve those eggs, fertilise them in the laboratory, create embryos in vitro and allow us to select the best embryos for transfer.However, it cannot improve the quality of the eggs, as egg quality is largely dependent on a woman’s age.This is why age is one of the strongest predictors of female fertility.DON’T COMPARE YOUR FERTILITY JOURNEY WITH SOMEONE ELSE’SOne of the biggest mistakes I see is women comparing their fertility journey with that of their friends, relatives or people they see on social media.Yes, some women conceive without difficulty even after 40. But some women may face difficulty even at a younger age.Age is an important factor, but it is not the only factor contributing to fertility issues. Other factors include egg quality, ovarian reserve, endometriosis, PCOS, male infertility, genetics, lifestyle and overall health.That is why I believe it is essential to understand your individual fertility challenges before making decisions about your reproductive future.PLANNING TO DELAY PREGNANCY? PLAN YOUR FERTILITY TOOI see many women today choosing to delay marriage or conception for multiple personal and thoughtful reasons, including education, careers, finances and relationships.These are respectful and individual decisions. At the same time, I believe fertility should also be a part of that future planning.If you are planning to delay conception, it is important to understand your reproductive health. Understanding your ovarian reserve and discussing options such as egg freezing, if appropriate for your individual circumstances, can help you make informed decisions about your future fertility.THE MESSAGE I WANT EVERY WOMAN TO REMEMBERA healthy diet, regular exercise and frequent visits to the doctor are all extremely important. But they cannot overcome the biological functions of the ovaries.Biology may not always align with our life plans, but understanding our reproductive health can help us make informed fertility choices.As a fertility specialist, I do not want any woman to live with the regret that she was not educated or made aware of these facts earlier.A fertility consultation, getting yourself evaluated and having an open conversation with a fertility expert can help you thoughtfully plan your reproductive future.(Dr Jyoti Tripathi, Fertility Specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Indore, is a trusted expert in reproductive health and fertility care.)- EndsPublished By: Smarica PantPublished On: Aug 20, 2026 08:00 IST