Age and female fertility

Female fertility is heavily influenced by age. Fecundity generally remains consistent from a woman's late teens to her early thirties, after which it gradually declines. The rate of decline accelerates after age 35, and by age 45, the natural non-conception rate ranges between 50% and 80%. While menopause, or the permanent cessation of menstrual periods, generally occurs between ages 45 and 55 to signal the end of biological fertility, age-related infertility frequently occurs years prior.