New figures show that one in 11 babies born in Denmark in 2013 were conceived with the help of fertility clinics.
The Danish Fertility Association said that out of 55,873 cases, 4839 parents required fertility treatment to create their baby.
In Copenhagen, Rigshospital fertilisation clinic chief Soren Ziebe claims this is a big problem for society in Denmark. He insisted that it should be recognised as a “widespread disease” and prevention measures need to be discussed.
Between 1993 and 2013, the birth rate in Denmark fell by 17 per cent, according to Statistics Denmark. During this period, the average age of first-time mothers went up from 27.2 to 29.1.
Ziebe claimed that the rise in the age of first-time mothers is a key reason why many more couples require the help of fertility clinics. He noted that females are most fertile at 20, while their chances are halved by the time they reach 30. At 37, their chances of getting pregnant drop by a further 50 per cent.
Ziebe feels both parents and the government should urge young people to have babies early, even while they are still studying. He said it was time to tell the boys in Denmark to sort themselves out and grow up before reaching 45 as their girlfriends won’t be able to conceive at that age.