Prime Highlights:
- Women in the EU now have their first child at an average age of 29.8, nearly a year later than a decade ago.
- Delaying parenthood is mainly about timing, not a decline in the desire to have children.
Key Facts:
- Age at first childbirth varies across Europe, from around 25 in Moldova to nearly 32 in Italy.
- Over 1.1 million fertility treatment cycles were carried out in Europe in 2021, reflecting rising demand.
Background:
Women across the European Union are becoming mothers later in life, with the average age at first childbirth now approaching 30, according to the latest official figures. Experts say the shift reflects changing social and economic priorities, and there is little indication the trend will reverse anytime soon.
On average, women in the EU have their first child at 29.8 years, almost a year later than ten years ago. The age varies across countries, from around 25 in Moldova to nearly 32 in Italy, showing clear differences in family patterns.
Despite the delay, demographers stress that postponing motherhood does not necessarily mean people are choosing to have fewer children. In fact, several countries where women tend to have children later, such as Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Cyprus, and Liechtenstein, also report relatively higher fertility rates.
“It’s really about waiting, not about giving up on children,” said Ester Lazzari, a demographer at the University of Vienna, in comments to Euronews Health. She noted that the ideal family size in Europe has remained fairly stable over time, suggesting that aspirations around parenthood have not fundamentally changed.
There are regional differences: women in Eastern and Central Europe usually become mothers in their mid- to late 20s, while those in Western and Southern Europe often wait until their early 30s. Still, the overall trend of having children later is seen across Europe.
“This postponement is happening everywhere in Europe,” Lazzari said. “That’s why it’s very difficult to explain it with a single factor.”
The shift has important health implications. Even though social norms have changed, biology hasn’t, and waiting to have children can make it harder to have as many as people want.
More people are turning to fertility treatments. In 2021, over 1.1 million treatments were done at nearly 1,400 clinics in Europe. But these treatments can be expensive, stressful, and not always available to single women, same-sex couples, or other groups.
Experts say that as Europeans manage personal goals, money, and family plans, having children later is likely to remain common.
