International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Women are best prepared to be a mother between the ages of 20 and 25, it has been suggested.

"Probably the best age to become a parent is between 20 and 25 because it is the time when you are fully matured and grown and [the body has] not started a decline," said Professor James Walker, president of training at the charity Baby Lifeline.

"Although young teenage mothers often do very well, they traditionally have problems with general health background related to carrying the pregnancy and so on."

Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the proportion of women giving birth under the age of 25 has dropped from 47 per cent 30 years ago to only 25 per cent now.

Professor Walker said: "Although the majority of mothers over 30 still do very well, the background risks start rising.

"It's not an absolute cut off point after that; it's just a general increase of numbers who run into problems in pregnancy as they get older."

ONS data showed the fertility rates for 35-39-year-old women and those aged 40-44 continued to increase last year by 1.2 per cent and 2.4 per cent respectively.

Posted by Carla Mackenzie