High levels of infertility in the UK have been attributed in part to women delaying starting a family to pursue careers or exotic experiences such as travelling. Women under 30 are three times more likely to get pregnant than women over 40.

Figures released by National Statistics last year revealed the average childbearing age has risen from 23.8 years for women born in the early 1940s to 29 years for those born in the 1970s.

Dr Robert MacDermott, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist for Darent Valley Hospital admits high numbers of the women he treats have waited until their late 30s to try for a baby to accommodate professional roles such as solicitors, accountants and doctors.

As many as one in six couples come across fertility hurdles, but the NHS says few of these cases prove infertile most are subfertile, which means although there are problems getting pregnant, it is still possible with medical help.

A great number of subfertility in women is attributed to endrometriosis a condition where the womb lining is too thick or grows in areas of the body it is not supposed to. One in 10 women suffer from the condition and of all the women investigated for fertility problems 70 per cent have an element of endrometriosis.

A surgical procedure known as a laparoscopy can help to reduce the excess womb lining therefore boost a woman's fertility.

Sophisticated treatments such as laparoscopy now mean up to 40 per cent of women are helped with non-IVF surgery. If these operations fail, couples are then referred for IVF (in vitro fertilisation).

Leila Hanna, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, said: "For IVF, women are given medication so they release a maximum number of eggs. These are collected and fertilised with their partner's sperm in the lab. The strongest two are put back into the womb."

IVF success rates do decrease as women get older and are as low as 10 per cent for women in their 40s. But the overall pregnancy rate from IVF is quite high, with a 50 per cent success for women under 30 and 30 per cent for the under 40s.

There is a strict criteria couples need to meet to receive IVF on the NHS, typically they must be below 35 and childless.