Swedes encouraging young parents

Health authorities in Sweden have begun a campaign to get more young people thinking about having children sooner rather than later. They are hoping to turn the trend of women waiting until ever increasing ages to have their first child.

“If you start trying earlier, you increase your chances of becoming a parent,” said Aleksander Giwcerman, professor of andrology at the Fertility Centre, Malmo University Hospital. Statistics indicate that 15% of all Western couples are having trouble getting pregnant. The number may be higher since many times people don’t even realize they are having a problem. According to Giwcerman, the age of the woman is a critical factor.

“Many times we can’t pinpoint the reason why a couple don’t get pregnant, but we know that the average age of women having their first baby is increasing and that is very significant,” said Giwcerman.

In Sweden the average age of a first time mom is now 30. A woman’s fertility starts diminishing before the age of 30 and after 35 the decline is even more rapid. “They need to know it isn’t certain that they succeed as son as they decide that the time is right, but there are many things they can do to increase their chances. They can start earlier, and there are also many lifestyle choices that many make a difference,” he continued.

Giwcerman concluded with this interesting irony, “We have spent a lot of time informing the public how not to get pregnant, and now it seems that most young people today think that once the time feels right it will just work itself out.”

Source: Rebecca Martin/The Local