Scientists predict the magic number for having kids

Have a dream of having a big family? Dutch scientists have calculated exactly what age you need to start trying to get pregnant.

Researchers from Erasmus University in Rotterdam pooled data from more than 58000 women to figure out how much fertility declines with age. And the results were more than a little alarming.

Want three kids without using IVF? You should have started at 23. However, 35 year olds still have a 50 per cent chance of having three children.

Good news is, if you only want one child, you’ve got a 90 per cent chance of conceiving at 32, 75 per cent at 37 and 50 per cent at 48.

Speaking to New Scientist magazine, Dik Habbema, one of the creators of the model, said they were trying to help the decision making process for couples who wanted to figure out when the timing was right.

“My son is 35 and many of his friends have a problem deciding when to have children because there are so many things they want to do.”

While the model may be a good guide for when to fall pregnant, some experts are warning not to get too caught up with numbers. Speaking to Fairfax Media, Mark Bowman, president of the Fertility of Society of Australia said, “We need better parental leave, better workplaces, and ideally better relationships too,” he said. “But if you are in the right relationship space, you should just get on with it.”

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