This International Women’s Day (8th March), we need to talk about female fertility – openly, scientifically, and without stigma. Here, we address stigma, inequality, and empowerment.

Despite medical advancements, fertility remains a challenging journey filled with societal pressures, financial burdens, and healthcare inequalities. While more women than ever are delaying motherhood, the birthrate in England and Wales has dropped to an all-time low.

At The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, we believe:

✅ Every woman deserves access to reproductive healthcare
✅ Fertility struggles shouldn’t be taboo
✅ Women should have choices and control over their fertility

Understanding the fertility landscape

• 9-15% of couples struggle with fertility, yet fertility issues remain highly stigmatised.
• The birthrate in England and Wales is at its lowest since records began.
• The average age of first-time mothers is higher than ever.
• Less than half of fertility patients feel their GP provided adequate fertility guidance.
• Only 15% of people feel comfortable discussing fertility struggles due to stigma.

At The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, we are dedicated to changing these numbers by breaking barriers in awareness, access, and fertility support.

The biggest barriers to female fertility

1. Social expectations and relationship timelines

Many women make the decision to delay motherhood while waiting for the right partner, but fertility doesn’t wait. Research on marriage statistics from ONS shows that marriage and committed relationships are happening later than ever for heterosexual couples. Whilst coupling up later offers many advantages including probable greater emotional maturity and financial stability, the problem is that advancing age is strongly linked to fertility problems.

💡 The barrier: Society still expects women to conceive within a traditional relationship structure. This makes it harder for single women to access fertility treatments or consider egg freezing without judgment.

✅ At The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, we support single women exploring fertility options, including egg freezing, embryo banking, and IVF single women.

2. Career pressures and work-life balance

Women are expected to balance fertility and career goals, but unfortunately workplace policies don’t always support this.

💡 The barrier: There is no legal right to fertility leave in most workplaces, and many women feel pressured to delay motherhood for career progression.

🔹 Dr. Jayanthi, our Fertility Consultant says: “The biological clock doesn’t stop for career goals. Many women’s fertility struggles could be prevented with the help of early fertility testing, wider awareness, and better workplace support.”

✅ Here at The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, we advocate for fertility-friendly workplace policies and provide fertility planning services to help women balance their career and reproductive choices.

3. Inequality in access to fertility treatments

Many women assume IVF is freely available on the NHS, but access is not guaranteed.

💡 The barrier: There is no uniform NHS fertility treatment policy nor standardised number of treatment cycles awarded – some women get three funded cycles, while others may get none.

✅ At The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, we help women navigate funding options, private treatment plans, and flexible payment solutions.

4. Financial costs of fertility treatments

Finances are a point of concern for many couples, after all, the cost of raising a child in the UK continues to increase. Fertility treatments themselves can be expensive, making cost a major barrier for many women.

💡 The barrier: The average cost of IVF in the UK can range from £5,000 to £8,000 per cycle, and egg freezing costs can go up to £7,000 per round.

✅ We offer financing plans, cost-effective fertility treatments, and guidance on how to plan for fertility-related expenses. We work with a variety of finance partners to help make funding your IVF treatment easier.

5. Challenges for same-sex couples

There are definite disparities when it comes to same sex couples accessing fertility treatment. Lesbian couples face higher financial and medical barriers when accessing fertility treatments.

💡 The barrier: Female same-sex couples are often required to self-fund at least 6-12 rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) before qualifying for NHS-funded IVF.

✅ At The Fertility and Gynaecology Academy, we provide tailored fertility solutions for LGBTQ+ couples and help them navigate their treatment options fairly.

6. Medical conditions that go unrecognised and undiagnosed

Due to a lack of obvious symptoms, many fertility related issues go unrecognised – women don’t realise they have underlying fertility conditions until they try to conceive without success.

💡The barrier: Conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, autoimmune disorders, and hormonal imbalances often go undiagnosed for years.

🔹 Dr. Amin Gorgy, Fertility Consultant at The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, emphasises: “Too many women are unaware of their fertility health until it’s too late. Early fertility testing can prevent years of stress and uncertainty, whilst providing couples with peace of mind.”

✅ We offer comprehensive fertility assessments to help women and men understand their reproductive health early.

7. Age-related fertility decline

Age is the single biggest factor impacting female fertility.

💡The barrier: Fertility declines sharply after age 35, making conception more difficult with age.

✅ We provide fertility preservation options like egg freezing and embryo banking, allowing women to extend their fertility window.

8. Stigma and misinformation

Fertility struggles remain highly taboo, leading to lack of awareness and late diagnoses.

💡The barrier: Many women feel ashamed to seek fertility help, while media myths create false expectations about fertility longevity.

✅ At The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy, we are committed to normalising fertility discussions, providing clear facts, and breaking down misinformation.

Taking back control: How women can overcome fertility barriers

🔹 Get fertility testing – Early testing helps identify potential fertility issues before they become major challenges.
🔹 Consider egg freezing – A proactive step to preserve reproductive options for the future.
🔹 Explore your treatment options – IVF, IUI, hormone therapy, and natural methods are all available.
🔹 Plan for fertility costs – Financing options and insurance support can make treatments more accessible.
🔹 Advocate for fertility rights – Push for workplace policies that support fertility leave and treatment flexibility.

Want to learn more?

Call us today at 020 7224 1880 or email info@fertility-academy.co.uk. Your fertility journey starts with knowledge and empowerment