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It is not uncommon for women to refer to hearing their biological clock 'ticking', and many can feel pressured to try and get pregnant by a certain age.
If they don't, they can often feel like the family of their dreams is out of reach.
It is commonly reported that women's fertility is at it's highest in their 20s, and that their mid-30s is a cut-off point for expecting to conceive a child.
However, there are increased reports in the media of women well into their 40s who are having children for the first time.
So what really are your chances of getting pregnant after 40? To begin with, it is worth taking a look at the historical aspect of conception.
Nowadays, with the advent of widespread and readily available contraception, many families have been able to control when and where they conceive a child.
Options such as condoms and oral contraception have meant fewer teenage pregnancies, as well as couples being able to delay having a family until they are financially stable enough to support a child.
Many women also choose to focus on their careers or take the opportunity to travel in their 20s, rather than settle down.
However, rather significantly, contraception is also readily available to those who have already had a family, and do not want any more children.
This has contributed in no small way to the fact that is it quite rare to see women becoming pregnant again at a later date.
Before the advent of birth control, it has been reported that it was not uncommon for mothers to continue having children until into their 40s, often when they were already grandmothers.
It has been stated that in the early 20th century, the average age for a woman to have her last child was 42.
This indicates high chances of getting pregnant after 40.
Other studies undertaken have shown that fertility rates for a woman in her mid-to-late 30s are very similar to those of a woman in her mid-to-late 20s.
This is encouraging for women who have been led to believe that by this age they are unlikely to conceive naturally.
Experts do say that fertility does naturally decrease with age, and that this does have some effect on your chances of getting pregnant after 40.
But they also say that is there is no reason to panic, and to be wary of panicking over statistics presented in the media.
One example to illustrate the misplaced fear of never getting pregnant is the oft-quoted statistic that women lose 90% of their eggs by the age of 30.
This can be a terrifying figure for women wishing to have a family, leading some to make the decision to seek out options such as freezing their eggs.
However, experts say that even if women do lose 90% of their eggs by this age, this still leaves them with 10,000 eggs, only one of which is needed to conceive a child.
This can be greatly reassuring to women panicking about not having been able to have a child before a certain age.
However, for those struggling to get pregnant after 40, there are many options available for health professionals to help improve their chances.
Well-known treatments include IVF, which has helped many women conceive and create families with their partner.
There are also more natural ways to improve fertility.
A fertility coach specialising in natural health can offer solutions to adjust your lifestyle in order to improve your chances of getting pregnant after 40.
There is hope for any woman looking to conceive at a later age, be it in their 30s or 40s.
Statistics and media reports can be very misleading, so if in doubt, it is always best to seek the help of a professional that can tailor advice to your particular circumstances.
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