Asthma link to fertility problems

The risk of delay is greater in women over the age of 30, and whose condition is untreated.

Scientists believe the inflammation characteristic of asthma is likely to have an effect on fertility.

Researchers studied data on 15,000 female twins from Denmark with an average age of 27 who filled in health and lifestyle questionnaires.

Nearly 1,000 had a history of asthma. Of this group, 27 per cent experienced delayed pregnancy compared with 21.6 per cent of non-asthma sufferers.

Undergoing asthma treatment reduced the chances of waiting for pregnancy to 23.8 per cent compared with 30.5 per cent for women not receiving treatment.