This was a question someone asked during a live session:
“Why is infertility so common now, when it didn’t seem to be in the past?”

And we thought—it’s a fair question. One that reflects something many people wonder about, often quietly. So we wanted to take a moment to answer it clearly, calmly, and thoroughly.

Infertility isn’t a trend. It’s not mass hysteria. And it’s definitely not random. Today, infertility is more visible—and there are real reasons behind that.

It’s a question that comes up in doctor’s offices, family dinners, and even in comment sections: Why does it feel like everyone is having trouble getting pregnant? Are we less healthy than before? Is it the microplastics? Have our bodies changed that much in just a few decades?

Let’s start with the bigger picture.

A generational shift

One major difference between our generation and that of our mothers or grandmothers is the timing of when people choose, or are able to start a family.

According to World Bank data, birth and fertility rates have been steadily declining worldwide since the 1960s. This isn’t just a demographic trend. It reflects deep social and cultural shifts, and ties directly into one of the biggest factors behind today’s infertility rates: people are having their first child later in life.

The numbers tell a striking story: in 1950, the global total fertility rate was 5 children per woman, according to the United Nations Population Division. By 2024, that number has dropped to 2.24 and is projected to fall below the 2.1 replacement level around 2050. This signals an eventual contraction of the world’s population, which the UN expects to peak at 10.3 billion in 2084.

And this delay doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s often the result of layered, valid reasons:

• Access to education and professional opportunities, especially for women
  
• The desire for financial and emotional stability before becoming a parent
  
• Wanting to experience different life stages before taking on parenthood
  

All of these factors have reshaped the way we approach reproduction.

And while “choosing to wait” has brought many benefits, including more stable family dynamics and better outcomes for children, it’s important to remember that biological fertility, especially in women, naturally declines with age. And yes, men are affected too.

Research from the International Monetary Fund indicates that over the next 25 years, 38 nations with populations of more than 1 million people each will likely experience population declines, up from 21 in the past 25 years. Population aging is accelerating alongside these trends: between 2025 and 2050, the share of people aged 65 and older in countries experiencing population decline will nearly double from 17.3% to 30.9%.

Yes, age matters

Biologically, women are born with a finite number of eggs. And even if we’re thriving at 35, fertility actually starts to decline around 30, and that decline picks up speed after 35.

In men, fertility doesn’t have a strict expiration date, but sperm quality is still affected by age, lifestyle, and environmental factors like stress, diet, and pollution.

So, when people delay parenthood, they often enter a period of lower fertility without realizing it.
In the past, most couples had children before those challenges even showed up. Today, we face them head-on.

What was infertility like in the past?

In many cases, people simply didn’t realize they had fertility issues. If pregnancy didn’t happen after a while, it was often chalked up to fate, bad luck, or vague explanations with no medical basis. Some couples would resign themselves to “not being able to” and move on.

In other cases, blame was unfairly placed on women—without ever evaluating the man.

The truth is, access to testing and medical knowledge just wasn’t what it is today.

Assisted reproduction as a medical field is relatively new. IVF has been around since the 1970s, but it wasn’t until much more recently that fertility treatments became widely available in places like Mexico and Latin America.

Today, we have access to expert specialists, advanced technologies, and incredibly precise testing to better understand what’s happening in each unique case.

So no, infertility hasn’t necessarily increased; we’re just better at identifying it

Thanks to medical advances, we’ve moved past the outdated idea of being either “fertile” or “infertile.”
Fertility is a spectrum, influenced by multiple factors like:

• Ovarian reserve: measured through tests like anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and ultrasound imaging.
  
• Sperm quality: evaluated through sperm analysis and advanced studies like DNA fragmentation (MACs).
  
• Endometrial health: specialized tests such as ERA, ALICE, and EMMA assess the uterine lining and check for infection or inflammation.
  
• Genetic factors: at Nascere, we recommend detailed evaluations of eggs, sperm, and embryos to rule out genetic issues that may affect pregnancy outcomes or a baby’s health.
  

This means that many couples who once had no answers and no options, today can become parents with the right support and care.

Science has made the invisible visible.

So, what can you do?

Start by getting informed early.
You don’t need to be ready to get pregnant tomorrow to check in on your fertility.

Today, any woman can get a basic fertility evaluation, checking hormone levels, ovarian reserve, and overall gynecological health. It’s as important as checking your blood pressure or cholesterol.

The same goes for men: a simple sperm test can catch a lot, even if everything seems “normal.”

And if you’ve already been trying to conceive and haven’t been successful, don’t wait six months or a year; time matters. The sooner you see a fertility specialist, the sooner you can identify what’s going on and explore treatment options tailored to you.

In short:

It’s not that we’re suddenly “less fertile.”It’s that we live longer, have different goals, and are postponing parenthood more than ever. Add to that modern lifestyles, environmental factors, and—thankfully—a much deeper understanding of fertility than ever before.

Knowledge gives you power and time.
Understanding your fertility is an act of self-care, whether you’re planning for a baby now or years down the line.