France is due to introduce free fertility checks for adults under 25 to combat low birth rates, but are young people thinking about having children? 

French President Emmanuel Macron first announced the initiative in January to enact French “demographic rearmament”. 

Tests include sperm count, semen analysis and ovarian reserve checks. 

New figures published by the European Commission have highlighted a dramatic decline in fertility rates in the Republic of Ireland since 2010 – so should Ireland follow France’s example? 

One texter told Lunchtime Live fertility is not to blame for lower birth rates in Ireland. 

“I'd love to have more kids but everywhere I turn there's reasons not to,” they said. 

“The cost of childcare, cost of living, schools, the impossibility of juggling work and family life are just some of the reasons that I'm going to be holding off on having any more.” 

19-year-old Jamie said he’s a “bit of a health freak” so would be happy to take a fertility test – but definitely wouldn’t start planning a family following the test. 

“Young people aren't thinking about having kids anymore,” he said. 

“I’m 19, I’m in second year of college in DCU, we don’t think about having kids – I'm thinking about exams. 

“There are much more pressing things on the table... there’s been a lot of changes in this country in the last couple of decades. 

“We don't think about having kids anymore, people who do have kids tend to have kids at a later stage in life. 

“The Catholic Church doesn't have so much prevalence anymore, contraception is widely available.” 

Jamie did say, however, if young people have the opportunity to take a fertility test, they have no reason not to. 

'Incredibly young'

Stephanie agreed 18 to 25 is “incredibly young” to offer free fertility tests when people simply aren’t having children at that age anymore. 

“I can definitely get it’s a good idea,” she said. “But I think the age group that would benefit from it would be your over-25s to maybe early 30s. 

“Back at that age, I wasn't considering any sort of family planning.” 

Support with fertility

Marie, who has done IVF, however, argued that “knowledge is always power” and young people should test their fertility. 

“I totally agree about the age group,” she said. “[But] there needs to be that underlying societal support for people to be able to have families. 

“If a 25-year-old is told they have reduced ovarian reserves, what are they going to do about it? 

“I just think there's a huge amount societally that needs to be there to support people rather than terrifying everybody about their fertility.” 

The fertility rate in the Republic of Ireland – which was the highest in the EU between 1998 and 2011 – is now just above the EU average. 

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