"Before It's Too Late": France Issues Fertility Warning To All 29-Year-Olds

France plans to send letters to all 29-year-olds in the country encouraging them to think about having children before it is "too late", as part of efforts to address the country's falling birth rate, according to The Independent.

Hundreds of thousands of people will receive the letter, which the health ministry says will provide "targeted, balanced and scientifically based information" on sexual and reproductive health. The aim is to help young adults avoid future regret linked to fertility issues, as per the news report.

The move is part of a 16-point government plan focused on infertility, which officials say affects one in eight couples in France. A government-commissioned report in 2022 estimated that infertility impacts around 3.3 million people nationwide.

The letter is being sent to people aged 29 because women in France are allowed to freeze their eggs at that age without a medical certificate. It will also remind women that social security covers the cost of egg freezing between the ages of 29 and 37.

The communication will address fertility for both women and men, noting that while biological clocks differ, men also experience age-related fertility decline.

Health minister Stephanie Rist said the government's role was not to pressure people into having children, but to improve awareness and access to fertility-related options.

However, the policy has drawn criticism. Psychologist Marie-Estelle Dupont said extending maternity leave from 16 weeks to 26 weeks would be more effective in encouraging higher birth rates.

Other measures in the plan include increasing the number of fertility preservation centres from 40 to 70, potentially allowing private operators to run some facilities.

Some young people have questioned the approach. Paul Brunstein-Compard, a 29-year-old stand-up comedian in Paris, said the idea felt "a little like treating people as children". He cited financial pressures and environmental concerns as reasons for delaying parenthood.

He added that young adults might be more willing to have children if they felt the future in France was more stable, inclusive and hopeful.