Leading UK fertility expert Professor Brian Lieberman has warned of an increased risk of fertility problems as more couples delay starting a family due to the credit crunch.
With the cost of food, petrol and household bills rising at an alarming rate, IVF specialist Professor Lieberman says the added financial burden of having a baby may prove too much for potential parents. He is concerned that the credit squeeze will lead many couples to postpone starting a family - either naturally or with the help of IVF - well into their late thirties and early forties.
The cost of raising a child is now estimated at more than £100,000 over 21 years.* Would-be-parents have named money worries and the need to remain in the job market as the main reasons for putting off trying for a baby.
Professor Lieberman - credited with the establishment of the UK's first NHS IVF centre and founder of Manchester Fertility Services - predicts a sharp rise in the number of older women requiring IVF treatment after choosing to wait until they're financially secure before trying to conceive. Couples are being faced with the dilemma of bearing the financial weight of trying for a child now - or spending even more money on fertility treatment in a couple of years.
He said: "Fertility falls dramatically for women as they grow older. Women in their early twenties are generally twice as fertile as women in their late thirties, with the most significant decline in fertility beginning during the mid-thirties.
"We are predicting a steep rise in the number of women requiring IVF and other forms of fertility treatment, as women delay conception to further their careers.
"Having a baby can be costly, but I would urge women not to wait too long as their chances of conceiving will drastically reduce with age. Living on a tight budget can be stressful but missing out on the chance to have a family is even more traumatic. The effects of the credit crunch are already being felt, with an increasing number of would-be parents paying for fertility treatment on credit."
To date, more than 3,000 babies have been born thanks to the skill and dedication of Professor Brian Lieberman and his team at Manchester Fertility Services, which is based at Bridgewater Hospital in South Manchester.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
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