Women Over 40 Are Now Having More Babies Than Women Under 20

Here is some good news for women who have been putting off motherhood for whatever reason (not having found Mr. Right, building en empire, traveling the world).

According to Office for National Statistics, women over 40 are now having more babies than women under 20 – for the first time in 70 years.

In fact, numbers reveal that the fertility rate of women over 40 has more than trebled since 1981 and increased by 3.4 per cent since 2014. Interestingly, in contrast, the women-under-25 category saw a decrease in fertility rates, with the statistics for women under 20 dropping by 7.1 per cent.

What this means, is that for the first time since World War 2, women over 40 are having more children than women under 20.

According to the researchers, this development is being put down to "increased female participation in higher education and the labour force, the increasing importance of a career, the rising costs of childbearing, labour market uncertainty and housing factors." Advances in IVF treatments have also contributed.

How old were YOU when you started your family? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @herfamilydotie