A poll in the Guardian suggests that over half of the young male and female adult population think it is more important in their life to enjoy themselves than to have a baby. 64 per cent of the men asked said they thought it was more important for a woman to enjoy herself than become pregnant, and 51 per cent of the women felt the same. Only a third of the females asked believe that women put children before careers.

Altogether the poll was taken among 1000 adults.

The stress and demands of careers were blamed by many of the respondants as a reason to avoid parenthood and half of them claimed they found it hard to find a partner whith whom they felt they could have a child. Nearly half of those involved in the poll said they thought the lower rate of successful long-term relationships contributed to the difficulty in starting a family.

Around the age of 38 to 40, the number of eggs (and their quality) that a woman carries in her ovaries begins to go down much more rapidly than before. From this age, it is more difficult to conceive. However, it is not impossible, and increasing numbers of women are leaving it until their mid-30s before they start to plan a family. This is commonly seen as a phenomenon brought about by women's careers and lifestyle.

For more on infertility and trends in parenthood, check out the Infertility Network UK website. National Infertility Day is on June 10 2006.