The average age of first time mothers in New Zealand has increased to 30.2 years, clearly demonstrating that Kiwi mums are having children later in life. These days there is more of a focus on career and a strong desire for couples to have financial and relationship stability before choosing to start a family. Yet while these seem like sensible decisions infertility is becoming more common and is an issue that needs to be taken considered when planning a family.

Many people don't realise is that there is a link between these two - age-related infertility has become a serious issue affecting our society today.

It is a biological fact that fertility decreases with age, and this is due to normal changes in the body. Women are born with a limited number of eggs, and no new eggs are formed throughout their life. In addition, the number of eggs declines over time. What women might not be aware of is that as well as the number of eggs decreasing as they age, the quality of their eggs also deteriorates over time - and this is reflected in the decreased ability to become pregnant and an increased rate of miscarriage with age. Not only does age affect the body's natural ability to conceive, it also affects the success rates of infertility treatments.

While every woman's body ages differently, the general consensus from experts is that the age of reckoning calls upon a woman at 35 years old. According to scientific studies, the chances of conceiving in your early 30s is only slightly lower than in your late twenties, yet at age 35 the fertility rate rapidly declines and the miscarriage rate increases. Age 35 also heralds the greater risk of genetic abnormalities such as Downs syndrome, so detailed fetal screenings are highly recommended for pregnant women at this age.

Fertility statistics show that from ages 30-34 the average number of miscarriages stands at 12 percent, which then increases to 18 percent from ages 35-39. At age 30, the risk of having a Downs syndrome child is one in 1,000. At age 35, this risk increases to one in 400.

Of course, if several children are planned, the considerations have to be even more serious, as leaving the first child till age 35 can mean that by the time you are ready to have the second child your chances of infertility or serious abnormalities with the baby are further increased.

If you plan on becoming a mother it is essential to understand the changes that your body is going to go through as you age should be aware of how this may affect your chances of conceiving in the future.

There are a few things you can do to slow age-related infertility, such as not smoking or being overweight and practicing safe sex so as not to contract STIs. Increasing your intake of folic acid and following a healthy diet will also help keep your body in the best baby making shape.

If you want to get an indication of the status of your fertility, New Zealand's leading specialists in reproductive medicine, Fertility Associates, have launched a new service called Egg Check, that can estimate the number of good quality eggs you have left in your ovaries. It is a simple process that allows you to consider your options.

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