Do women need to be made more aware of their declining fertility?
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) recently released a statement outlining the problems that can arise when women over the age of 35 conceive, or try to conceive. Much of the ensuing coverage has focused on challenging the reasons why women ‘decide’ to postpone childbearing. But how much choice do women really have over when to start a family? And why aren’t the warnings about declining female fertility being directed more at potential fathers? Jane examines the debate with Melanie Davies, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at University College London Hospital and spokesperson for the RCOG, and Karen Throsby, a sociologist at the University of Warwick.
