Why are we having children later and later?

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Why are we having children later and later? Thanks for asking. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of births in the UK continues to fall. Experts are even talking about a baby bust, the opposite of a baby boom, to describe these statistics which have reached the lowest level since records began in 1938 One explanation for this could be that couples are choosing to have children later than previous generations, leaving them with a reduced fertility window.
What is the average age at which people become parents in the UK?
In 2020, the Office for National Statistics notes that the average age of which women became mothers is 30, compared with 26 in 1975 In addition to this, the latest ONS birth data released in 2020 reveals that 28% of women have their first child after the age of 30 and 5% after the age of 40 This is a trend that has been on the rise for several decades, as women become more independent and more focused on their careers in their 20s and early 30s. Young people are also studying for longer periods, and after five years at university, their mid-20s are more often devoted to building up their financial situation and not necessarily a family. Couples therefore take longer to form, to stabilise, and inevitably to think about having a child. What's more, surprised pregnancies are becoming rarer, thanks to the widespread use of contraception and the increased access to abortion services. Can you run into problems if you want to get pregnant after the age of 30? From a purely biological point of view, our bodies are most fertile between the ages of 20 and 29, with fertility beginning to decline from 32 onwards, and the chances of getting pregnant after the age of 45 becoming increasingly difficult. In addition to this, late pregnancies, meaning after the age of 35, according to the WHO, can pose some problems. As Wendy Goodell, an American gynaecologist and obstetrician, explains in a report by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, health risks are also beginning to increase, such as hypertension, diabetes during pregnancy, and preeclampsia, as well as rates of chromosomal abnormalities.
But biological considerations aside, societal changes mean that for many people, 20 seems far too young to embark on the adventure of parenthood. And apart from the fact of becoming parents, the age at which we consider ourselves to be adults is tending to recede in our minds, as shown by a study by the insurer RIIS, which revealed that the English think they are only adult at 29, more than 10 years after the legal age of majority.
But if you want a child, the ideal age is the time when you and your partner feel ready. There you have it. Now you know why we're having children later and later. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you really will know for sure.

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