Why are we having children later and later?

About this episode

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 the “baby boom”, to describe these statistics, which have reached the lowest level since records began in 1938. One explanation for this could be that people are having children later than previous generations, leaving them with a reduced fertility window. In 2020, the Office for National Statistics notes that the average age at which women become 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. Can you run into problems if you want to get pregnant after the age of 30? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: Could intentional lazy parenting foster your child's independence? What causes tocophobia, the fear of pregnancy and childbirth? ⁠Why do children have imaginary friends? A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. First Broadcast: 27/2/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices