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Young Danes need to learn to procreate
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October 27th, 2014
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As the birth rate continues to fall, many fear too much emphasis has been placed on avoiding the stork
Most sex education for young people in Denmark tends to focus on contraception and avoiding pregnancy.
But now doctors have expressed fears that the desire to avoid children has turned into a kind of ‘infertility social disease’ and young people need to be taught to have children before it becomes too late.
“We are seeing an increase in the number of patients having trouble having children when they are ready,” Bjarne Christensen, the secretary general of the family planning group Sex & Samfund, told DR Nyheder.
“It is important they learn about ageing in relation to fertility. Too many think all they have to do is stop using contraception, and that is often not the case.”
More than age a factor
Christensen said that young people also need to be taught the truth about the impact of things like lifestyle, the environment and sexually-transmitted diseases on fertility.
“There are a number of myths about these things that need to be debunked so that young people have a better understanding of what affects their fertility opportunity to have children,” he said.
Sex & Samfund has developed learning materials to help young couples better understand fertility.
“We hope to initiate a debate about the right time to start having children,” Christensen said.
READ MORE: Low birth rate "approaching epidemic"
According to Berlingske, the average age of first-time mothers in Denmark is 29.1, slightly lower than the average age of a new mum in the UK, which stands at 29.7.
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