The average age of a first-time mother was 26.4 years old 50 years ago.
Now, most people believe 28 is the ideal age for a woman to start a family.
Although in reality, women are around 30.9 years of age when they have their first child.
Competing pressures
There are several factors which contribute to this, such as the number of women attending university or seeking higher education. This has increased from less than 15 percent in 1974 to 41 percent in 2023.
Buying a property has also become more difficult. According to the latest Office for National Statistics, in England the average house costs 8.3 times the average wage, compared to 3.5 times the typical wage in 1997.
Employees may also prefer to establish their careers before deciding to start a family.
“It can be difficult to reconcile these competing pressures, and there may be underlying societal expectations and prejudices to navigate”, says Charlotte Gentry, founder of The IVF Network.
However, these factors must be considered against biological reality. Female fertility begins to decline in the early thirties, with the chances of conceiving beginning to fall more rapidly from the age of 35.
There’s also evidence of an age-related decline in male fertility associated with reduced sperm quality, falling levels of testosterone and an increased prevalence of erectile dysfunction.
As many as one in seven couples has difficulty conceiving.
From these cases, fertility problems occur in around 30 percent of women, 30 percent of men, and 30 to 40 percent a combination of the two, or the cause is not known.
While fertility treatment can offer hope, there are no guarantees. Some people will also choose not to take this route.
Juggling demands
“When you discover you have a fertility-related challenge the immense feeling of failure is overwhelming. Everyone around you makes it look so easy and you are battling against all odds. The prospect of having to undergo fertility treatment is terrifying and then combine that with the pressures of work, and the entire experience has a detrimental effect on one’s mental health leading to guilt, emptiness, anxiety, and depression,” says Gentry.
She continues: “The pathway to parenthood for people in the LGBTQ+ audience is still very challenging and includes the complexities of donor egg or sperm and/or surrogacy.
“Navigating your way through this journey has legal implications and is hard, and it’s very difficult to know who to turn to and where to go to obtain the best information.”
Research from the Fawcett Society found that 43 percent of staff having fertility treatment struggled to juggle the demands of treatment and work. The vast majority, 92 percent, of this group had taken time off for treatment and 42 percent believed it had impacted career progression.
How can businesses better support employees?
The delay in women starting a family can present challenges for individuals, but how can businesses better support employees wanting to start a family?
“Treatment can be physically and emotionally draining. At key phases of the process, patients may need to see their doctor every day or so, sometimes at short notice. Many will need to administer medication at specific times of the day and then it is very likely that the first round of treatment will be unsuccessful. so dealing with baby loss and bereavement is horrific when trying to balance work and a fertility journey. Being able to feel safe in having those key open conversations with a line manager is therefore critical to protect an employee’s mental health,” adds Gentry.
When a manager is aware that a member of their team is undergoing fertility treatment, they could offer greater flexibility around appointments, suggest reasonable adjustments and signpost help and resources.
She says: “Providing a supportive environment for valued team members will pay real dividends in terms of talent retention.”
Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, says: “Creating an environment which supports workers going through fertility treatment will result in happier staff, better retention, and better progression of talented women, all of which ultimately leads to an improved gender pay gap and more flourishing staff.”
Is your organisation equipped to support employees on their fertility and family planning journey?
Bupa’s latest Health Horizons virtual event explored why businesses need to develop strategies to support employees navigating fertility treatment and family planning.
Visit Health Horizons to re-watch our latest event and download resources about the future trends of workplace health and wellbeing.
