4 in 10 UK mothers had children later than they wanted, by six years: survey
Representative image: RebeccasPictures / Pixabay
IVI Institute's Fertility Barometer, released 13 October 2026, found 38% of UK mothers had children later than they wished, by six years on average.
What Happened
Almost four in ten women in the United Kingdom who have children had them later than they wanted, by an average of six years, according to a Fertility Barometer released on Tuesday, 13 October 2026 by IVI Institute. The survey of 4,000 UK women aged 19 to 49 found that 38% of mothers had started their families later than they had hoped. Across the UK, Sweden and France, between 31% and 41% of mothers said their first child came later than they wished, and women on average had about two children while saying they wanted close to three. Money worries, not feeling ready and not having the right partner were among the main reasons for the delay.
Key Facts
- IVI Institute released its Fertility Barometer on 13 October 2026.
- The full study covers 24,074 women aged 19 to 49 in nine countries, surveyed between 16 May and 3 July 2026.
- The UK part surveyed 4,000 women online between 10 June and 3 July 2026; the research was carried out by GfK.
- 38% of UK mothers had children later than they wanted, with an average delay of six years.
- In the UK, Sweden and France, 31-41% had their first child later than desired.
- Mothers in the three countries had 2 to 2.1 children on average but said they wanted 2.8 to 2.9.
- Between 81% and 84% of women were already mothers or wanted children, and 68-70% called motherhood a priority.
Why It Matters
The barometer challenges a common idea: that falling birth rates in rich countries mostly reflect women who do not want children. Its figures suggest the opposite. Large majorities of women surveyed either have children or want them, and many want more than they have. The gap lies between the life women plan and the life their circumstances allow.
The reasons women gave are about practical life, not about values. Financial pressure, not feeling ready, and not having found the right partner all push parenthood later. The researchers also point to work and limited childcare support as factors that make the preferred timing hard to achieve. A delay of six years is long. Fertility falls with age, so waiting can mean that some women end up with fewer children than they hoped, or none.
The release came as official figures showed the fertility rate in England and Wales at a record low of 1.39 children per woman in 2025. The barometer also measured the emotional cost of infertility. Among women who had experienced it, the share who rated its negative impact at 7 out of 10 or higher was 59% in Sweden, 68% in the UK and 79% in France.
For women in India, the survey is not a mirror: it did not report Indian figures, and family patterns differ. But the pressures it describes, of careers, housing costs, the search for a partner and the lack of affordable childcare, are increasingly familiar to women in Indian cities as they try to plan work and family together.
| Measure | UK, Sweden and France |
|---|---|
| Mothers who had first child later than wanted | 31% to 41% |
| Average children women have | 2 to 2.1 |
| Average children women want | 2.8 to 2.9 |
| Already mothers or wanting children | 81% to 84% |
Impact
Short-term: The figures add to debate in Europe on childcare costs, parental leave and support for people trying to have children, at a time of record-low birth rates.
Long-term: If the gap between wanted and actual family size persists, populations will age faster. Policies that help women combine work and family at the age they choose may matter more than campaigns urging people to have children.
Who is affected: Women in their twenties to forties weighing careers, relationships and parenthood; their partners; employers designing leave and flexible work; and governments facing falling birth rates.
Key Takeaway
IVI Institute's Fertility Barometer, released on 13 October 2026, found that 38% of UK mothers had children later than they wanted, by an average of six years, mostly because of money, readiness and partners.
Questions and Answers
What did the IVI Fertility Barometer find about UK women?
In a survey of 4,000 UK women aged 19 to 49, 38% of those with children said they had them later than they wanted, with an average delay of six years. Financial pressure, not feeling ready and not having the right partner were leading reasons.
Do women in these countries want fewer children?
No. Across the UK, Sweden and France, 81-84% were already mothers or wanted children, and mothers said they wanted 2.8 to 2.9 children on average while having 2 to 2.1.
Who carried out the survey and when?
IVI Institute released it on 13 October 2026. The UK fieldwork was done online by GfK between 10 June and 3 July 2026.
Does the survey include Indian women?
Its published UK, Swedish and French findings do not include India, so the numbers should not be read as Indian data.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Tyres, inner tubes and VHS tape win Emeline Rigault the Dinan fashion Grand Prix
44% of women feel more positive about life after menopause, survey finds
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
