More women than ever are delaying motherhood until after the age of 35 to pursue college and careers first.
According to new UK statistics, the level of teenage pregnancies has hit a 40-year low as more women than ever give birth to their first child between the ages of 35 and 39.
The figures, released by the Office for National Statistics, show that women aged 35 to 39 recorded a conception rate of 64.5 conceptions per 1,000, double that recorded in 1990.
Financial woes, career and housing worries may also have contributed to the number of women who were reluctant to conceive during the recession.
Meanwhile pregnancies in girls ages between 15 and 17 dropped to 24.5 per 1,000, a sign, according to experts, that sex education and a shift in aspirations is making becoming a young mother a less attractive option.
