New Delhi: Plummeting fertility and a low sperm count has for long been the sword of Damocles for the UK but with the fertility numbers of England and Wales further dipping to a record low, the issue seems to be serious and growing. According to latest government data, the fertility rate of England and Wales is now lowest since the records started in 1938. Figures obtained from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the rate was pegged at 1.44 children per woman in 2023. What surmounts this problem is the further complication of the number of live births falling to 591,072; lowest since 1977.
While global sperm count has also been on a steady decline, experts are more concerned with the fertility problem that women in the UK are facing. This is bound to have a ricochet impact on the economy, the migration policies and also on UK’s global imagery. So, why is fertility on such a freefall and how does it matter for any country?
How will low fertility impact UK?
This is not a new health emergency that has gripped the developed world. Fertility rates have also been falling below this over the past century. The UK, for example, hasn’t had an average fertility rate above 2.1 and this has been the case since the early 70s. But with a fragile economy and an ageing population, low fertility can pose some serious challenges
For one, the ONS advises that “a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman is needed on average to ensure the long-term “natural” replacement of the population.” But this is not case, fertility has been falling since 2010 – and not just in the UK but there is a similar story unfolding globally too.
Shrinking population is known to be a burden on the economy because every sector will be forced to work overtime to keep the old and aging population on their toes. Healthcare costs will increase rampantly, as will other incendiary costs. A country which doesn’t have a sound pension scheme will find itself slipping to a economic slow burn. Can UK afford this situation at the moment? Their politicians certainly don’t think so and have been coming up with guarantees and schemes that would woo the younger women to reproduce at the right age so that fertility issues don’t crop up.
The ONS data also revealed that women are preferring to have children later. The fertility rate was highest among women aged 30-34. What are the reasons that have contributed to this? Apart from lifestyle and health factors, there are many other reasons due to which families don’t want to have children.
- Hefty childcare costs could be one of the many reasons why families want to delay giving birth to a child in the UK.
- An inflation rate of 2.6 per cent means cost of living (housing etc) is also at an all time high. In such a scenario, most people want to delay childbirth.
- Sex education has made women more aware of their rights and of the responsibilities that they will have to take up. when they bring a child into the world. Women are conscientiously opting for no babies or having children much later.
- Not finding the ideal partner at the right age was also listed as one of the reasons why childbirth is delayed.
- Easy availability of contraception and the hike of abortion rates is also considered to be a reason.
These are only some of the external factors responsible for the low fertility among UK women. There are health and environmental reasons which cause low fertility as well.
Health reasons for low fertility
Poor lifestyle choices is the real villain here. Smoking and drugs have long been associated with fertility issues in women. Vaping is making matters worse as more young women are finding it attractive to vape, which in turn, affects their fertility in the long run. According to a senior gynaecologist in Delhi, smoking can trigger inflammation which can damage egg and sperm production. “Eggs are not fertilizing enough and sperm count is falling rapidly. Almost 70 per cent of such cases have been found in couples who are addicted to drugs or intoxication of any kind,” says Dr Mithee Bhanot. Does that include vaping, we ask… “Yes, vaping is also irritating the uterus lining and resulting in pregnancies that ectopic in nature,” she said.
Dr Bhanot also said that ‘everywhere chemicals’ like phthalates found in toiletries, food packaging and children’s toys, could also be a leading contributor to this problem. “These chemicals may cause hormonal imbalance which can trigger ‘reproductive havoc’ in the women’s body,” she added. Some studies have also pointed towards bad air being responsible for fertility issues in older women. “It cannot be a primary reason, but bad air and water can both lead to serious problems during pregnancy,” she said.
Why are women finding it difficult to conceive naturally (the IVF babies have increased in UK by 210 per cent)? More than 90 per cent of women point towards work-related stress for putting off having children. Surveys in the UK have revealed that women want to make their way further up the career ladder before conceiving at an age when their eggs are easily fertilized.
Some climate enthusiasts say they have deliberately chosen to remain childless because each baby only adds to a carbon footprint. Scientists at Oregon State University calculated that 9,441 metric tons of carbon dioxide is added by every child, this data has put off young couples from bearing children. Others are opting-out of children due to fears around the world they will grow up in.
Is there a way to come around? “The one promising way is to encourage more couples to procreate and reproduce. The government must come up with pro-children policies, especially for lower income families,” says Bhanot.
In the England and Wales context, anti-family policy is the main reason why couples are shying away from having children. Introducing better laws and educating women about health implications of conceiving later in life could go a long way in bettering fertility rates.
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