Are women being pushed to delay having children? New research reveals what’s really getting in the way

Four in 10 UK women had their first child later than planned, with money, childcare and workplace support among the barriers.

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Published: October 20, 2026 at 12:27 PM

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Four in 10 women in the UK had their first child around six years later than they would have wanted, according to new research exploring the realities of starting a family.

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The findings, from the inaugural IVI Institute Fertility Barometer, suggest that while having children remains important to many women, the practical challenges of parenthood can make it harder to start a family when they had hoped.

The survey of 4,000 UK women aged 19 to 49 found that 70% said having a child was important to them, while 38% reported having children later than planned.

Why are women delaying having children?

Feeling too young, financial pressures and not having the right partner were among the main reasons women gave for delaying starting a family.

Among women who said they were putting off parenthood, 33% cited feeling too young, 32% said they did not have enough money and 30% said they had not found the right partner.

The research also found a gap between how many children women wanted and how many they were having, with women reporting that they had almost one child fewer than they had originally hoped for.

Meanwhile, 27% of women surveyed did not have children but wanted them, highlighting the difference between wanting to become a parent and feeling able to do so.

Childcare and parental leave remain concerns

The findings suggest that the support available to parents may not be matching what families say they need.

More than three-quarters (76%) of mothers surveyed wanted some form of subsidised childcare, but only 30% said they currently received it.

Workplace support was another area where women reported a gap between what they wanted and what they could access.

The survey found that:

The findings come as birth rates in England and Wales reached a fourth consecutive record low in 2025, at 1.39 children per woman, according to figures cited in the report.

Three in 10 women surveyed also agreed that the UK was facing a fertility crisis.

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What does the research say about infertility?

The Fertility Barometer also explored women's experiences of infertility, with one in five respondents saying they had experienced it at some point.

Of those who had experienced infertility, 71% said they had contacted a healthcare professional about it. On average, they sought help within 14 months, at an average age of 27.

However, only 17% of women who had experienced infertility said they had undergone IVF treatment.

The financial impact of fertility difficulties was another concern. More than two-thirds (68%) of women who had experienced infertility described it as a high burden, while 32% said the financial burden of treatment, including lost income from time off for appointments, affected them.

The survey also found that 66% of UK women believed men took fertility health less seriously than women.

What do fertility experts say about delaying parenthood?

Dan Annetts, CEO of IVI Fertility Northern Europe, said the findings challenged the assumption that falling birth rates simply reflected women choosing not to have children.

The vast majority of women in the UK and around the world do want to start a family, but lack the financial, workplace, childcare and emotional support to convert this aspiration into reality.

Dan Annetts, CEO of IVI Fertility Northern Europe

“It’s tempting to assume that falling birth rates are simply a result of women not wanting to have children, but our report demonstrates that this is far from the case. In fact, the vast majority of women in the UK and around the world do want to start a family, but lack the financial, workplace, childcare and emotional support to convert this aspiration into reality, within the timeframe that they would want.”

He added that decisions about parenthood could involve difficult choices around careers, finances and timing, alongside the experience of infertility.

Dr Mireia Galian, Medical Director of IVI Fertility London, also highlighted the importance of understanding how fertility can change with age.

“Deciding to delay having a child can be influenced by several factors, as evidenced in our Fertility Barometer. However, it is important that women fully understand the impact that this could have on their future fertility.”

She added: “A woman’s natural fertility typically declines from around the age of 35, so for those in their mid- to late-30s, putting off having children for even just a few years could affect their chances of conceiving naturally.”

Dr Galian said fertility treatments, including fertility preservation and IVF, could help women become parents later in life, but stressed the importance of awareness so women can make informed choices.

What does this mean for women thinking about having children?

The findings highlight the range of factors that can shape decisions about starting a family, from financial security and relationships to access to childcare, workplace flexibility and fertility care.

The survey was conducted online by GfK, a NielsenIQ company, between 10 June and 3 July 2026. It included a nationally representative sample of 4,000 UK women aged 19 to 49 and formed part of a wider study spanning nine countries.

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The results reflect the experiences and views of those surveyed, rather than predicting what any individual woman's fertility journey will look like.

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