A new poll has revealed that over 60% of women aged 35 to 45 feel judged for wanting children, but having left it "too late".
And, according to the survey (which polled 500 women), it's friends and family who are putting the most pressure on.
Some 40% of those polled also admitted that they were too embarrassed to talk about fertility, especially with those they know well, and the findings by Infertility Network UK have suggested that, overall, women’s fears of being judged are preventing them from seeking fertility treatment.
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In fact of those women polled who had already undergone fertility treatment, 46% waited four months or longer before a clinical assessment. And 29% waited over a YEAR before receiving any treatment.
Clare Lewis-Jones, chief executive of Infertility Network UK, said: "We need to promote a more open discussion about fertility, which is one of the key aims of our new National Infertility Awareness Week.
"Feelings of embarrassment and being judged are ultimately preventing some women seeking the help they need for their fertility problems."
In addition to this, Tim Child, medical director at the Oxford Fertility Unit at the University of Oxford, said: “Many couples are leaving it too long before discussing their fertility options with a healthcare professional.
“With new and ever more successful options for treatment becoming available, it is very important that women and their partners follow guidance on seeking prompt advice from their GP or a fertility specialist if they are concerned about their fertility.
“Patients should also be aware of the choice they make when they delay trying to conceive and the impact this can have on the chances of natural conception, as well as the treatment they are entitled to under the NHS.”
While it is important that women who are involuntarily childless feel comfortable enough to seek help, the findings have also flagged another issue; women who are voluntarily choosing not to have children also feel stigmatised for doing so.
Doctor Christian opened up a debate on Twitter, saying:
The responses were telling; women came forward to reveal that they had felt as if they were being judged by others for their life choices. Some even admitted that they had "resorted to saying we can't have kids" because it is "easier to deal with sympathy than judgement."
Life isn't an easy tick list of career, relationship and then children. And we think that everyone is entitled to make their own decisions about their body, whether that's waiting to have children, either for career or relationship purposes, or not having a child at all.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you ever felt judged or stigmatised for being childless? Have you ever wondered why women who want children wait tip their mid 30s to do so? Let us know via the Comments Box below, stat.