Housing, work and fertility pressures are stopping many Britons growing the families they want, new research suggests.

A UK fertility report found that 79 per cent of people surveyed who had tried to conceive in the past five years would like more children than they currently have.

Among parents with one child, that figure rises to 88 per cent.

The report surveyed more than 1,000 people across the UK who had tried for a baby in the past five years.

While birth rates continue to fall, the findings suggest it is not because people no longer want children. Instead, many respondents said external pressures are making it harder to grow their families.

The findings, from wellness brand Wild Nutrition’s Fertility Disconnect report, highlight how financial pressures, fertility struggles and gaps in reproductive health knowledge are shaping modern family life in the UK.

Gail Madalena, fertility nutritional therapist at Wild Nutrition, said: “People often assume fertility begins the moment they decide to try [for a baby].

“In reality, egg and sperm health are shaped months and years earlier.

“By the time someone starts thinking about fertility, their body has already been responding to its environment for a long time.”

Among the biggest barriers, 26 per cent said career progression affected their family plans, 25 per cent cited housing affordability and lack of space, and 52 per cent said they required medical intervention during their fertility journey.

The report also found that almost a quarter of respondents had spent more than two years trying to conceive.

Trying for a baby can take a significant toll on mental health and relationships, especially for those navigating fertility treatment.

According to the research, 38 per cent of respondents said trying to conceive had negatively affected their mental health. That figure rose to 99 per cent among people undergoing fertility treatment.

Julianne Boutaleb is a perinatal psychologist.

She said: “Navigating a fertility journey is about so much more than medical appointments and procedures.

“It’s an emotional marathon that can take a huge toll on your mental wellbeing.

“Sadly, the stats show that 15 per cent of couples going through fertility treatment say their relationship has been irrevocably impaired.”

The report also highlighted the realities of secondary infertility, which affects around one in 20 people, challenging the assumption that having one child means conceiving again will be straightforward.

Researchers found many people felt under-informed about fertility, particularly younger adults.

Ten per cent of Gen Z respondents said they “know nothing” about fertility, while only one in five respondents said they know “a lot” about egg health.

The report also found that 60 per cent of women were unaware of fertility testing options, and one in five Gen Z respondents said they felt uncomfortable discussing fertility, even with their partner.

Around 40 per cent of those surveyed supported fertility education being included in schools, covering topics such as egg health, sperm health and hormonal health.

The report also explored how lifestyle and long-term health may influence fertility outcomes.

Many respondents said they only made changes once they started trying to conceive.

Some 44 per cent improved their diet when trying for a baby, while 32 per cent reduced alcohol intake at that stage.

The report also referenced emerging research that suggests ultra-processed foods and microplastics could have an impact on reproductive health.

While fertility conversations often focus on women, the findings showed male fertility issues are also affecting many families.

Seventeen per cent of respondents cited sperm health issues as a barrier to conception, while male factors contribute to around half of all fertility challenges.

Only one in four men said they would share fertility struggles with friends.

“Many causes of male infertility are entirely treatable yet so often the last resort is the first response,” said Ian Stones, co-founder at Test Him Ltd.

The findings come as UK birth rates remain below replacement level.

The report noted that the UK fertility rate is now 1.41, meaning that on average women give birth to 1.41 children over their lifetimes. The replacement rate, or rate that maintains population numbers, is 2.1.

It also said the average age of mothers has risen to 31, while birth rates are falling across most age groups except among over-40s.

“There is no single fertility story, and it is rarely a simple, linear narrative,” said Dr Zeynep Gurtin, lecturer in women’s health at UCL.

Dr Gurtin added that better fertility education, fairer access to treatment and more open conversations around infertility and pregnancy loss are needed.