For years, teenage pregnancy in the UK dominated headlines, policy debates, and awkward PSHE lessons. But fast forward to now, and those numbers have dropped dramatically. Meanwhile, the number of women in their 40s having children has crept steadily upwards — until, finally, the two lines crossed.
Why Teen Pregnancies Are Down?
There’s no single answer, but experts point to better access to contraception, more open conversations around sex, and young women choosing to prioritise education and career. Teenage pregnancy rates in England and Wales are now at their lowest since records began. That’s a huge shift compared to the 1990s and early 2000s, when Britain was often labelled the “teen pregnancy capital of Europe.”
Why Over-40 Pregnancies Are Up
At the same time, more women are choosing to delay motherhood. Careers, financial stability, finding the right partner (or deciding to go it alone), fertility treatments, and simply not feeling “ready” until later — all play their part. Advances in IVF and egg freezing have also given more women options that weren’t widely available a generation ago.
It’s worth noting: biology doesn’t bend to trends. Fertility does decline with age, and pregnancies over 40 are more likely to come with complications. But equally, many women are now healthier in midlife than their mothers were at the same age, and maternity care in the UK has improved dramatically.
What This Means for Motherhood Today
This shift isn’t about teens “giving up” on motherhood or women in their 40s “pushing boundaries.” It’s about choice. For perhaps the first time in history, more women than ever have some say in when and how they want to become mothers.
It’s also a reminder that there’s no longer a “one-size-fits-all” age for parenting. Some mums are raising toddlers while their school friends are becoming grandmothers. Others are navigating GCSE revision timetables while their peers are booking baby sensory classes. And increasingly, women in their 40s are proving that motherhood can start at a time once considered “too late.”
The Bigger Picture
The real story here isn’t just about age brackets. It’s about how family life is changing. Later motherhood often comes with financial security, relationship stability, and emotional readiness. Teen motherhood, while less common now, can bring resilience, support networks, and a different kind of strength.
What’s historic is that women are gradually gaining more control over their own paths to motherhood. And that — whether you’re 16, 26, or 46 — is worth celebrating.
All information we provide is for educational and awareness purposes only. Any concerns should be discussed with your GP, Midwife or Healthcare Professional.
If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you probably know that there are certain foods and nutrients that become especially important once you’re pregnant. But nutrition plays a vital role even when trying to conceive, much like laying a strong foundation before constructing a house.
Certain nutrients create that foundation by supporting egg and sperm health (yes, nutrition matters for both partners), hormone balance and creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to implant. In fact, studies show that certain nutrients can help increase fertility and improve success rates for both natural conception and fertility treatments.
In other words, nutrition is a key player in the TTC journey, but getting the right nutrients in the right quantities can be tricky. That’s where supplements come in. Just as you’d take a multivitamin to fill in nutritional gaps for optimal health, fertility supplements can give you that extra nutrient boost.
Choosing supplements for your fertility journey
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
