You’ve spent your whole adult life trying not to get pregnant. Then it hits you. It may be that all your friends are having babies, or you saw a child in the supermarket that made you long for your own soft, cooing piece of heaven, but how old you are plays an important part in determining your chances of becoming a Mum.
The speed at which female fertility declines has been highlighted by the first study to track a woman’s supply of eggs from conception to the menopause. The average 30-year-old will have just 12 per cent – barely an eighth – of her eggs left, the research shows. By her 40th birthday the situation is even more bleak, with just 3 per cent of the two million or so eggs she was born with remaining. Only about 450 of the two million eggs will fully mature over a woman’s lifetime. Many others will start to mature before dying off.
“It sends a strong message to wannabe mums that ‘sooner is better,’ says Dr. Simckes. “I have been telling patients for years that a woman’s ability to conceive peaks in her late teens stays fairly stable until 30 and nosedives after 35.”
For women aged 30-33, the anticipated two-year wait for a first child has now increased to 3.5 years on average.
Research suggests that the trend towards later maternity is strongest among women with better educational qualifications, with some postponing child rearing to pursue their careers. Education opportunities are much better for women and they are taking on high level positions in the workforce. The knock on effect of this is that they have to be careful about when they leave work to start a family. In addition, some women who have already reared a family wish to have another child with a new partner, and some have simply not met the ‘right’ partner.
Maxine, matching coordinator for Select Personal Introductions advises “Don’t leave something this important to chance. It really is one of the biggest regrets women have in their lives and I see this only too often. At Select we are able to match women to those men who wish to start a family too so it really speeds up the whole process. It is important to dedicate the same effort that you put into developing and planning your career into having a family.”
Select Personal Introductions can introduce you to like-minded members with the same aspirations and goals for the future. Why wait? Call our friendly customer services team today on 0161 872 3900.