Women unaware of how to optimise fertility

Two in three women in the UK are unaware of the peak fertile days in their monthly cycle, according to new research from Clearblue. The results indicate that many women aged between 25 and 40 wrongly believe that they can naturally conceive at any time of the month. In response, experts suggest that problems falling pregnant for some women may be the result of not knowing how to "optimise their chances".

Leading fertility expert Zita West explained: "Knowledge is power, as a woman having the knowledge to optimise your chances of conceiving is the most empowering thing you can do in planning your pregnancy."

She advised that identifying the best window of opportunity each month is vital for natural conception. Sperm can live for up to five days, so intercourse five days before or after the two most fertile days in a woman's cycle can lead to pregnancy.

The UK's fertility rates reached the highest level since 1973 last year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.