Written by the Progyny Editorial Team. Reviewed by the Progyny Clinical Team - October 2026.
The path to parenthood is different for everyone. If you're over 40 and thinking about having a child in the future - but don't feel ready now - you may wonder what your options look like.
Let's talk a bit about those options, and how to receive personalized guidance for your own unique situation.
Pregnancy after 40
It does become harder to become pregnant at an older age. At the same time, the birth rate among people age 40 to 44 has never been higher.
The best thing you can do?
Have a consultation with a fertility specialist. It's OK if you're not sure what your path will be. It's also OK if you're not even sure you'll eventually try to have a baby.
Meeting with a fertility specialist will allow you to:
- Discuss your goals, timeline, and health history
- Receive testing to learn about your fertility profile (for you and your partner, if you have one)
- Explore various assisted reproductive technology options
- Understand your chances of pregnancy with different options
Conceiving without fertility treatment
Many people become pregnant and have healthy babies after age 40. However, it is important to understand that the likelihood goes down over time:
- After 6 months of trying, about 60% to 65% of women in their early 30s become pregnant.
- At age 40, about 25% to 30% will become pregnant after trying for 6 months.
Exploring fertility treatments
There are many options available to help people with fertility challenges. These options may involve using your own eggs and/or sperm, or donor eggs and/or sperm.
For example, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a common process that involves:
- Using medicine to help stimulate several eggs in the ovaries to mature
- Retrieving eggs from the ovaries
- Combining the eggs with sperm in a lab to create an embryo
- Placing the embryo into the uterus
You and your fertility specialist can discuss your chances for having a baby if you use your own eggs. You may also wish to discuss the benefits of donor eggs, which may help increase the chances for some people.
Likewise, you may use your partner's sperm or donor sperm. If your body may not be able to carry the pregnancy, surrogacy is an option for many people.
Can I freeze my eggs or my partner's sperm?
It's important to ask your fertility specialist for a personalized answer. The success rate for live births from eggs frozen after 40 is significantly lower. Sperm quality declines after 40 as well.
That said, every person is different. Fertility testing may show that egg freezing is a good option for you. Often, this is based on your age and ovarian reserve (your estimated egg quantity).
When you discuss egg freezing, be sure to ask your clinic about their success rates for eggs that were frozen at your age, not the clinic's overall success rate.
You can also ask your provider to counsel you on how many rounds of egg retrieval may be needed, and begin to think about how many rounds you may be willing to do.
Your Progyny benefit can help you get started
We know that the fertility journey can be complex, and many people aren't sure where to start.
To help you get started, your Progyny benefit covers your first fertility consultation. Your member guide will explain your coverage for services such as sperm freezing, egg freezing, IVF, and other treatments.
Above all, Progyny is here to provide support and guidance at every step of the way. Your Progyny Care Advocate can provide 1:1 coaching, help you sort through your options, and answer questions about your benefit. Reach out to us, anytime.
Explore related topics:
- How age affects fertility
- What can you expect at your first fertility consultation?
- Trying to conceive after age 40
Disclaimer: The information provided by Progyny is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical guidance.
