In the past few years, a frustrating trend has emerged in reporting on the UK’s falling birth rate. Every month or so, a study reveals new statistics pointing out that either fewer people are having children, or that the average age for first-time parents is increasing. Then a slew of alarmist headlines collectively decide that these stories are actually about women — women “prioritising their careers”, “forgetting to have children”, remaining “childless” into their thirties.
The latest example of this came last week, after a report from Britain’s IVF regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), revealed that the average age of people starting IVF treatment had passed 35 for the first time. By waiting longer for IVF, the report warned, couples are jeopardising their chances of success. Naturally, the conclusion of the subsequent handwringing in the press was that “women are leaving it too late to have babies”.
