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The past decade has seen important shifts in when women become mothers, with 31 years now being the average age for this to occur. This has implications for fertility, pregnancy and birth experiences. Maternal age is related to \u2018medical risk\u2019 and almost one in three births now involve a Caesarean section. But how well are maternity services in the UK keeping up with these changes? \n \nProfessor of Sociology, Tina Miller examines each stage of becoming a mother \u2013 from conception to antenatal preparation, labour and birth, and the postnatal period \u2013 to find out how maternity care and other services should respond to these changes.

\nPresenter: Tina Miller \nProducer: Dan Hardoon \nEditor: Clare Fordham \nProduction Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Zeynep Gurtin, Lecturer in Women's Health at the Institute for Women's Health, UCL \nMarcia Inhorn, Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, Yale University\nNoreen Hart, antenatal educator\nPat O'Brien, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, UCL\nKatherine Hales, midwife\nEliane Glaser, author of "Motherhood: Feminism's Unfinished Business"