Delaying pregnancy can carry consequences

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Kelli Heath just turned 30 and she's spending more and more time deflecting questions from family and friends about when she plans to get pregnant. Scott and Kelli Heath, married two years, are delaying having children so they can have "us" time.

A lot of women have timelines," Heath said. "I don't."

Heath, a full-time event planner in Atlanta, Georgia, married her husband, Scott, two years ago. They want to have children one day, but not right away. "Our priority as a couple is 'us' right now," she said.

More and more couples like the Heaths are waiting to expand their families until the woman is well into her 30s or older. Work, travel and the desire to save money are some of the reasons cited for the delay in having a baby.

Obstetrician and gynecologist Michael Randell cautioned that such delays may come with consequences. "There is a lot of anxiety among patients," Randell said. "I have 20-year-olds coming to me concerned whether or not they can get pregnant."

In reality, experts say, women over 35 struggle the most to get pregnant. As a woman ages, the quality of her eggs tends to decline and she may not ovulate as frequently.

Statistics are against you," Randell said. "You only have a 15 percent chance of conceiving each month. About 85 percent of people will conceive in the first year of trying."

The reason why it is more difficult to get pregnant these days is more people are waiting longer."

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