...but Britain faces baby gap of 92,000 babies as a result!

New research out this week shows that the trend of middle class women to hold off having children until later, is saving them money and costing the UK in babies. Professional women who postpone motherhood from the age of 24 to 28 can save themselves £400,000 over their working life. But late mothers also run the risk of fertility issues, leaving them unable to have as many children as they'd like.

The survey says; ' "If people were able to have the number of children that they planned for and aspired to at age 21-23, there would be 13% more children every year in Britain and the fertility rate would be well above replacement levels of 2.1."

The report, issued by the political think tank Public Policy Research (IPPR), warns that unless this middle-class baby gap is addressed, it could have dire consequences for society. ' Many of those who participate in higher education and/or establish their careers before having children face higher risks of infertility and do not have as many children as they originally aspired to. This means that fewer children are born to parents who are relatively affluent.' This, the report says, will 'make it harder [for us] to earn our way in the world and to pay for valued public services.'

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