Fertility isn’t something everybody feels comfortable talking about. In fact, our research found that two-thirds of people (67%) said they hardly ever or never talk about fertility, and reproductive health.
What we also know is that lots of people search online for facts and figures about fertility. But some of these can be hard to understand, and others can even be misleading.
So, here we’ve answered the top five fertility questions to help you sort through the statistics and make the numbers easier to understand.
01 What is the average age that people have their first child?
On average, the age that people have their first child in England and Wales is 31 for women and 34 for men1. This number has been steadily increasing since the 1970s. When it comes to fertility treatments, in 2022, the average age of people accessing IVF for the first time was just over 35 years old2.
02 How many children do most people have?
In England and Wales, the average number of children people have is 1.393. About 45% of all families who have children living at home being one-child families4.
03 What is the number one cause of infertility?
There is no single biggest cause of infertility. About 30% of fertility problems are due to female factors, such as problems with ovulation or health conditions like PMOS. About 30% of fertility problems are due to male fertility problems, such as low sperm count or problems with sperm movement (motility). About 30 to 40% of fertility problems are because a couple both has a fertility issue, or because of unknown reasons5.
04 At what age are 90% of your eggs gone?
There has been lots of media attention around the statistic that 90% of a woman’s eggs are gone by the time she is 30. This statistic comes from research done in 20106. And, while it might be technically accurate, it’s not as scary as it sounds. You will still have many thousands of eggs left at this age.
If you’re worried, there is a blood test you can have that helps estimate the number of eggs you have. This is called an Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) test. Higher AMH levels tend to mean a higher number of eggs.
05 How many people need fertility support?
One in seven couples in the UK have difficulty conceiving. But many of these people will go on to have children without any fertility support7. In 2024, IVF births made up just over 3% of all births in the UK8. But this number includes same sex couples and single people, who accessed fertility support. These people may or may not have had issues with infertility.
References
1 Office for National Statistics. (2026). Births in England and Wales. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/birthsummarytablesenglandandwales/2025
2 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. (2024). Fertility Patients Are Starting Treatment When Chances of Having a Baby fall, Says HFEA. https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/news-and-press-releases/2024/fertility-patients-are-starting-treatment-when-chances-of-having-a-baby-fall-says-hfea/
3 Office for National Statistics. (2026). Births in England and Wales. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/birthsummarytablesenglandandwales/2025
4 Office for National Statistics. (2026). Families and households in the UK. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2025#household-types
5 British Fertility Society. (accessed 2026). What is infertility? https://www.britishfertilitysociety.org.uk/fei/what-is-infertility/
6 Wallace, W. H. B., & Kelsey, T. W. (2010). Human Ovarian Reserve from Conception to the Menopause. PLoS ONE, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008772
7 NHS. (2023). Overview – Infertility. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/infertility/
8 Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority. (2026) Fertility treatment 2024: trends and figures. https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/publications/research-and-data/fertility-treatment-2024-trends-and-figures