A top expert on has said women should have babies before they are 35 years old. Professor Mary Herbert from the UK's University of Newcastle said the age of 35 is like when the "clock strikes 12". She said that after that age, it is riskier for a woman to become pregnant. She added that it was difficult for treatment to work as women got older. Professor Herbert gave doctors and nurses a message in a speech at the British Science Festival. She said: "Perhaps the most important message to give is that the best cure of all is to have your babies before this clock strikes 12." She added: "I would be getting worried about my daughter if she hadn't had a child by 35."

Many women these days are choosing to put off having a baby until they are older. One of the biggest reasons for this is that women do not want to interrupt their career. Women are also marrying or settling down at a later age. Professor Herbert said society needed to think about how to help women have babies at a younger age. She said: "We need to understand what the barriers are to women having their children early." Childcare expert Belinda Phipps agreed with Professor Herbert. She said: "You can't always have babies to order. If you want to have a partner and a secure place to live, you don't necessarily get that all done by the time you are 32. The right man doesn't always just come along."