Have you ever caught yourself wondering if time’s slipping away to start or grow your family? Maybe you’ve been trying for months and it’s starting to feel heavy, or maybe you’re in your 20s or 30s thinking there’s plenty of time to figure it out.

In this week’s episode of Dr Renee White sits down for a heart-to-heart about something that affects more families than we realise… fertility. With World Fertility Day around the corner, she unpacks what the latest research actually says about fertility rates, age, and the hidden barriers that make family planning harder than it should be.

This isn’t about creating panic. It’s about getting the facts, feeling informed, and knowing that wherever you’re at, you’re not alone in figuring it out.

You’ll hear about:

• The real science behind fertility decline and how age plays a role
• Why one in six couples worldwide experience infertility
• The male factor that often goes unnoticed
• How housing costs, financial pressure and gender inequality impact family planning
• Simple, evidence-based steps you can take if you’re trying now or planning ahead

We don’t talk about fertility enough. There’s still so much silence, shame and confusion around it. Renee brings honesty and compassion to a conversation that so many families need to hear. It’s the kind of chat you’d have over coffee with a friend who just gets it, full of care, facts, and hope.

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Maybe it’s just me,” this episode will remind you it’s not.

Resources & Links:

📲 Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_

🌐 Learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services

🍪 Treat yourself with our Chocolate + Goji lactation cookies

Related episodes

• Ep 66. Professor David Gardner – The Science Behind IVF
• Ep 64. Dr Manuela Toledo – What to Expect on Your IVF Journey?
• Ep 146. Dr Cheryl Phua – What You Need to Know About Freezing Your Eggs
• Ep 160. Dr Cheryl Phua – Fertility Treatments 101
• Ep 172. Dr Kokum Jayasinghe – How Endometriosis Affects Fertility and What You Can Do

If you found this episode helpful, share it with another mum who might need a reminder that she’s not alone. And make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next episode of The Science of Motherhood.

✨ This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia’s first doula village.

Disclaimer:

The information on this podcast presented by Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Nothing contained in this episode is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

[00:00:30] Dr Renee White: Hello and welcome to this special check-in Tuesday episode we're at 199. Oh my goodness. This is Science of Motherhood. I am your host, Dr. Renee White. [00:00:45] Now November 2nd, marks World Fertility Day, and today we're diving into the global fertility landscape and what it means for families everywhere.

[00:01:21] Dr Renee White: Unaware of how quickly fertility changes. Now, if any of this resonates with you, today's episode is essential [00:01:30] listening because the statistics around fertility might just surprise you and understanding them could change your family planning journey. Today I'm breaking down the science and the reality of global fertility.

[00:02:14] Dr Renee White: So stay with [00:02:15] me because we are going to talk about practical steps you can take right now, whether you are planning for the future or struggling in the present. This episode is proudly supported by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula [00:02:30] village. If you're pregnant or you have a new baby, you have doulas ready to look after, nurture and nourish you across Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, gold Coast, Hobart, and Perth.[00:02:45]

[00:03:09] Dr Renee White: Here is a statistic that should stop us all in our tracks. I didn't know [00:03:15] this one in six couples globally struggle with infertility. So that's approximately 48.5 million couples worldwide having unprotected sex yes. [00:03:30] Facing infertility challenges now, despite how common this is, there remains devastating taboo around fertility struggles leaving far too many people suffering in silence.

[00:04:12] Dr Renee White: So, imagine. Just imagine the [00:04:15] anxiety, the hope, and the heartbreak of that waiting period. So when we look at the causes, research shows that about 50% of infertility cases are due to female factors and 20 [00:04:30] to 30% to male factors and the remaining 20 to 30% combination of both. So, male infertility is often overlooked in conversations, but globally rates range from [00:04:45] around 2.5 to 12%, making it a significant population health concern That deserves equal attention more often than not.

[00:05:21] Dr Renee White: Now, this is the fertility timeline we weren't taught. Here's something that might shock you, especially if you're in your twenties or [00:05:30] early thirties. Female fertility peaks at age 27 and begins declining at 28 and by 35 fertility has reached significantly lower levels [00:05:45] once women reach about 40 years old.

[00:06:19] Dr Renee White: We've done an excellent job teaching young women how not to get pregnant. We were all in that health, health economics class, were we not, um, talking about contraception and [00:06:30] condoms and things like that, but we've completely failed to educate them about when and how to get pregnant. And because of this, many women leave school believing it's perfectly fine to wait until their thirties to start [00:06:45] trying not realising that that's exactly when fertility begins. Its steepest decline. Now the numbers bear this out. In 1976, the average age of first time mothers was 26 [00:07:00] years old, and today it's 30. So here in Australia, the median age is even higher, 32.1 for mothers and 33.9 for fathers in 2024. About a [00:07:15] fifth of women now reach 45 without having a child.

[00:07:50] Dr Renee White: Our fertility rate hit a record low in 2024, just 1.48 babies per woman [00:08:00] down from already declining figures in 2023. Now, the Australian Bureau statistics projects that by the mid 2050's deaths will outnumber local births. So think [00:08:15] about what that means for our communities, our economy, and our future.

[00:08:48] Dr Renee White: So in other words, couples aren't having the number of children they want, so what's stopping them? Dr. Allen identifies four major barriers, housing [00:09:00] affordability, economic security, gender inequality, and climate change. Now, these aren't being earnestly tracked by government, and the impact on family formation is profound.

[00:09:46] Dr Renee White: This is a huge, huge issue. In Sydney and Melbourne, cities like this, families are looking for affordable housing. They're being pushed out to the fringes. You know, the data [00:10:00] shows that total fertility rates are lower in cities than outside city limits, directly correlating with housing affordability. For same-sex couples, the barriers are even greater.

[00:10:35] Dr Renee White: So let's talk about the IVF revolution. You know, it would be remiss of us not to discuss this when we're talking about fertility and we are [00:10:45] talking about, you know, in vitro fertilization IVF was, uh, created. By reproduction pioneers, Dr. Robert Edwards, Patrick Steptoe, and Jean Purdy, and the first [00:11:00] IVF baby Louise Joy Brown was born on the 25th of July, 1978.

[00:11:38] Dr Renee White: And today half a million babies are born each year from IVF and ICSI globally. But here's [00:11:45] the reality check. The IVF success rate sits at only about 30%. Now, that means every three cycles roughly two, will not result in pregnancy. It's [00:12:00] physically demanding. It's emotionally exhausting and financially devastating for many families and you can learn more about this IVF journey. We have got some fantastic podcasts where we [00:12:15] spoke to Dr. Manuela Toledo in episode 64. That was all about what to expect on your IVF journey. We've got episode 146 with Dr. Cheryl Phua and she talks about what you need to know [00:12:30] about freezing your eggs. And she also came back in episode 160 to talk about fertility treatment.

[00:13:03] Dr Renee White: So good. She, it's her own personal experience that kind of drove her career into becoming a fertility specialist and it's fascinating conversation. So those [00:13:15] experts you definitely need to listen in to. Now back to talking about declining birth rates. Some countries are getting creative in their response to declining birth rates.

[00:13:51] Dr Renee White: China announced it would give cash to parents for childcare by January, attempting to reverse three years of birth rate [00:14:00] decline. South Korea, which has the world's lowest birth rate, is offering subsidized housing for just $28 a month on one island, trying to tackle the high [00:14:15] cost of living, competitive job markets and gender inequality that their president has declared a national emergency.

[00:14:50] Dr Renee White: Love the tangibles. If you are planning for the future. Understanding the fertility timeline matters. So this isn't about creating panic, [00:15:00] but about making informed decisions if having biological children is important to you. Knowing the fertility peaks at 27 and declines significantly by 35 allows you to plan accordingly.

[00:15:40] Dr Renee White: And if you've been trying for a year without success, or six months, if you are over [00:15:45] 35, visit your GP and request fertility testing for both you and your partner. Because remember, male factor infertility accounts for up to 30% of cases. So both [00:16:00] people should be evaluated. If you are struggling, remember, you are not alone.

[00:16:45] Dr Renee White: These aren't just family issues, they're societal issues that affect our collective future. So World Fertility Day is more than just a date on the calendar. It's a call to action. It's a reminder to educate yourself [00:17:00] and others about fertility realities. A push to break the taboo around. The fertility struggles and a demand for systemic changes that allow people to build the families they desire.

[00:17:34] Dr Renee White: Thank you for spending this check-in Tuesday with me. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it. And remember at Fill Your Cup we are [00:17:45] here to support you through every stage of your parenting journey from pregnancy through those precious early months.

[00:18:19] Dr Renee White: Head to our website, I fill your cup.com to learn more about our birth and postpartum doula offerings, where every mother we pledge to be the steady hand that [00:18:30] guides you back to yourself, ensuring you feel nurtured, informed, and empowered, so you can fully embrace the joy of motherhood with confidence. Until next time. Bye.