Tragedy as dad-of-four, 40, dies just months after he blamed stress for his stomach ache
A DAD passed away months after complaining of stomach pain, which he initially put down to stress.
Kyle Ingram-Baldwin's ordeal began in October last year, when he sought his doctor's advice after suffering from a
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Kyle Ingram-Baldwin with his wife Becky
Credit: SWNS
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The dad was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer after complaining of a stomach ache
Credit: SWNS
The dad-of-four, from Minster, Kent, had suspected his pain was stress related, and expected the diagnosis to be gallstones.
After his pain got worse, the 40-year-old went to A&E.
An ultrasound found bulges on his liver. A CT scan followed, and Kyle was given the devastating diagnosis of bowel cancer.
He said: "I didn't think a lot of it, but I thought I'd better get it checked out.
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"The suspicion at the time was gallstones, which obviously it wasn't.
"They told me that I've got cancer that's spread.
"I was like, wow, okay. I didn't expect that, but you know, it is what it is."
Two weeks later he was told he had
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He said: "I was thinking, what's going on here? What have I done wrong?
"I was putting the blame on my own feet and worrying about the
future
for my wife and kids.
New Deborah James cancer lab
"That's probably the hardest thing - the mental side.
"Don't get me wrong, the physical is not funny either, but it's a mental challenge."
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The 40-year-old went through six rounds of chemo and another, more targeted course, but these were not able to get the disease - which spread to his liver - under control.
Kyle spoke about how his cancer battle had impacted his wife and children aged 12, nine, three and one.
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The dad underwent multiple rounds of gruelling treatment, which was unable to eradicate the cancer
Credit: SWNS
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He passed away this month after launching a GoFundMe to fund alternative treatments
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He shared that he did not want his wife to have to cope on her own, saying he was determined to keep fighting.
Kyle said: "It's really hard to put into words, because I love my kids so much. You just worry about their future.
"They've got the best mum in the world, and I genuinely mean that. My wife's incredible."
On June 8 this year, the dad launched a GoFundMe to help pay for alternative treatments as he was "not prepared to give up" - more than £15,000 was raised in a matter of days.
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What are the red flag warning signs of bowel cancer?
IT'S the fourth most common cancer in the UK, the second deadliest - yet bowel cancer can be cured, if you catch it early enough.
While screening is one way of ensuring early diagnosis, there are things everyone can do to reduce their risk of the deadly disease.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes and checking with your GP can prove a life-saver.
If you notice any of the signs, don't be embarrassed and don't ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of patients with bowel problems.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
A change in your normal toilet habits - going more frequently for example
Pain or a lump in your tummy
Extreme tiredness
Losing weight
Tumours in the bowel typically bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anaemia. It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.
Other signs include:
Gripping pains in the abdomen
Feeling bloated
Constipation and being unable to pass wind
Being sick
Feeling like you need to strain - like doing a number two - but after you've been to the loo
While these are all signs to watch out for, experts warn the most serious is noticing blood in your stools.
But, they warn it can prove tricky for doctors to diagnose the disease, because in most cases these symptoms will be a sign of a less serious disease.
The dad said he was "blown away" by the huge sum and that it had given him hope.
But Kyle's wife Becky shared that he tragically passed away on June 16, barely a week after launching the fundraiser.
In an update on the GoFundMe page, she wrote: "Unfortunately, Kyle took a very sudden and unexpected turn and we lost him yesterday.
"He was the most incredible man I have ever met, and I know he would want me to thank everyone for all your sharing and donations.
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"I wanted to personally thank each and every one of you who donated to try and help Kyle. I'm so sorry we didn't get to.
"Thank you to loved ones, friends old and new and complete strangers with huge
hearts
."
'Go get checked'
Becky told donors on June 18 that they would all be receiving a refund.
However, after an "overwhelming" number of messages, she set up a new fundraiser to support the family's young children, with more than £2,000 already donated.
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She added: "As we raised such an incredible amount from so many selfless people, I thought maybe (and it feels so weird and uncomfortable) if people wanted to, once they get refunded, they can gift
money
to our children.
"I don't know if this is the right thing to do, but the amount of messages I've had is just overwhelming.
"If you want to give your donation to charity or just make memories with your families, that's what you should do. It didn't feel right for me to make that decision."
You can donate to the new fundraiser
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Kyle worked for Automatic Retailing, a wholesale supplier for vending machines, and helped run the Men's Mental Health Support Talking Football project in Minster.
He wanted to encourage others to get checked out urgently if something doesn't feel right.
He added: "I didn't present with any of the conventional symptoms.
"If you think anything's wrong, please press your GP and go get it checked, because I genuinely wouldn't want anyone being in my position."
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The Irish Sun
20 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
NHS docs saved me after I nearly died from £6k mummy makeover in Poland… but here's why I'll never regret it
LYING in an NHS hospital bed, hooked up to a drip, Lois Crossley was fighting for her life after contracting sepsis from a surgery complication. But the mum-of-four's initial operation had not been carried out in the UK - she had flown to one of Europe's cut-price hotspots for a cosmetic mummy makeover. 11 Lois Crossley fought for her life after contracting sepsis from a mummy makeover surgery Credit: Shot by Emma Phillipson. 11 The mum-of-four got a tummy tuck, liposuction and a breast lift Credit: SWNS 11 Lois, who flew to Poland for the surgery, reveals NHS doctors told her she could have died if they had not stepped in Credit: SWNS Lois insists that despite taxpayers effectively having to save her after her decision to spend £6,000 on a Lois, 29, from Salford, Greater Manchester had lost 7st before these procedures which she paid for using a surprising windfall - and says that the NHS doctors told her she could have died if they had not stepped in. She says: 'The doctors said I could have died if I hadn't got help when I did. It was frightening but I always knew that surgery could be a risk. I don't regret it, despite getting sick. 'I'm so much happier with my body now. I feel like a model and have more energy to keep up with my kids. 'I did feel bad turning up for help after having an elective operation abroad, but the nurses were kind and said that they had a duty of care. Scans showed the operation had been done properly and the infection was just one of those things. 'People might criticise me for using NHS resources to sort out a complication. But I'd argue that I paid privately for my initial 'That's better for the NHS in the long run.' Lois had always been a skinny size 8 until she fell pregnant for the first time in July 2016, going on to have four babies in six years – Theo, eight, Koen, seven, Rion, four, and Indi-Blu, two. 'I needed an emergency c-section with my first and second births, so the doctors recommended I have planned ones with the next two,' she says. 'I was glad my babies arrived safely but it left me with messy scarring on my tummy and an overhang. 'Looking after small children was so tiring and busy. I'd barely eat all day, just graze on snacks and their leftovers. It meant I was starving by the time they were in bed and ended up eating ready meals or takeaways. 'The weight crept up and up with each pregnancy. I tried Slimming World but it was difficult to stick to it.' I lost 100lbs doing the Keto diet and did a mummy makeover to get rid of the loose skin but it was worth it - people are stunned by my transformation By the time she had her youngest child in October 2022, Lois weighed 16st 5lbs and was a size 22, despite being 5ft 4ins tall. 'The idea of going shopping horrified me and I lived in leggings because jeans cut into my tummy,' she says. 'I lost all my confidence and never wanted to leave the house. All my friends were still slim - I felt like the odd one out. My fiancé Kieron loved me as I was but I knew I needed to take action for my own wellbeing, mentally and physically.' I lost all my confidence and never wanted to leave the house. All my friends were still slim - I felt like the odd one out In September 2023, full time mum Lois travelled to Turkey after saving up £2,150 for a gastric sleeve operation, with her dad Darren accompanying her while Kieron, 30, cared for their children at home. 11 Lois weighed 16st 5lbs and was a size 22 by the time she had her youngest child in 2022 Credit: SWNS 11 She had four babies in six years, Theo, Koen, Rion and Indi-Blu Credit: SWNS 11 I lived in leggings because jeans cut into my tummy, she reveals Credit: SWNS 11 The trip and surgery cost Lois £6,100 in total Credit: Emma Phillipson - Commissioned by The Sun 'I'd been to see my GP for help but all they could offer was a long waiting list for a weight management programme,' she says. 'I needed something more drastic. I knew a couple of people who'd had a gastric sleeve and been very successful. I worried it was the 'easy' way out but I couldn't see how I'd manage to lose all this weight otherwise. 'Melting away' 'I'll admit that, at first, I found the recovery mentally challenging and wondered if I'd done the right thing. 'I hate soup but that was all I could eat to start, slowly moving onto purees and mashed up meals. The protein shakes were disgusting too. I'd watch Kieron and the kids eating a nice dinner and feel like I was missing out.' But while she hated being unable to eat proper food, Lois was thrilled with the impact on her size. 'I lost a stone in the month and it just kept melting away. It was quite dramatic,' she says. 'Within a year, I'd lost nearly 7st and was a size 8, just as I'd hoped.' But the extreme weight loss came with side effects – a 'I wanted to wear nice fitted clothes but it was impossible to hide the loose skin around my middle,' Lois says. 'My breasts had gone from a 47F to a 34DD but had lost their shape. I knew from doing my research that this was likely to happen but I still felt really conscious of it. 11 I knew there might be complications so I'll never regret it, says the mum as she opens up on her surgeries Credit: SWNS 11 The mum spent ten days recovering in hospital after her procedures Credit: SWNS 'I was also frustrated that I'd lost all that weight but was still hiding my body away in leggings and baggy tops. Shapewear could only do so much.' After doing her research, Lois started saving again for a tummy tuck, abroad, this time in Poland. After squirrelling away pennies, Lois had a surprising windfall. 'I'd had to quit my job in a nursery after the kids so I knew it was going to take a while to get the money,' she says. I worried it was the 'easy' way out but I couldn't see how I'd manage to lose all this weight otherwise 'I was putting every spare penny away, once the bills were paid and the kids catered for. I'd treat myself to a go on the online slots a couple of times a week. I couldn't believe it when I hit the jackpot and won £5,000. 'I was screaming and knew immediately that it was my chance to do something for myself and have the surgery.' Losing her dad to a sudden brain bleed in September 2024, at the age of only 56, made her more determined to take action. 'He'd promised he would come with me once I had saved enough for the tummy tuck,' she says. 'My dad was really proud of how I'd lost the weight and was taking control of my life.' In November 2024, Lois travelled to Wroclaw, Poland, with her mum, booking into an apartment near the hospital for a week. 'So scary' The trip and surgery cost £6,100 in total, with Lois topping up her winnings with savings. 'I didn't hesitate to use the money for my surgery – it was my dream,' she says. 'When I left my kids to go for the gastric sleeve, I couldn't stop crying. This time around I was so excited.' Lois had booked a tummy tuck, liposuction on her hips and upper abdomen, and breast implants. I just couldn't stop looking at my new body – I was delighted But after meeting her surgeon, he advised her to have a breast uplift instead. 'I was disappointed but it made me trust him more because he could have just taken my money and done what I'd asked for,' she says. During the five-hour operation, Lois had 1.2kg of loose tummy skin removed and her three c-section scars were aligned into one neat line. 'The recovery was fine, I was up walking after a couple of hours,' she says. Pain wise, I would say my c-sections were worse. I just couldn't stop looking at my new body – I was delighted.' With everything in order, she returned home and was healing well until she came down with 'I was dripping with sweat but felt freezing, I felt dizzy and my heart was racing,' she recalls. 'I tried to push through it but when I met some mum friends at the playground, they told me I looked shocking and I should contact the doctor immediately.' After calling 111 and explaining about her recent op, Lois was sent to Salford Royal Hospital, where she needed emergency surgery to treat an infection in a wound. 'It was so scary,' she says. 'They had to put me back to sleep and unstitch my belly button to drain fluid off. The doctors said I was lucky I caught it when I did or I might have died.' The mum spent the next ten days recovering in hospital on IV antibiotics. 'The doctors were really understanding and it wasn't the surgeon's fault – it was one of those things,' she says. 'My immune system was very weak for a few months afterwards and I have a scar on my hip, but I feel fine now.' The doctors said I was lucky I caught it when I did or I might have died Today, Lois is 9st 2lbs and feels like she has her old self back. 'All surgery comes with risks and I knew there might be complications, so I'll never regret it,' she says. 'It gives you a better life for your kids, to be able to run about with them and stuff. I'm also more confident, I've always got my legs out and can wear belly tops. I'm finally able to think about planning my wedding too. 'Everyone says how good I look – I even got stopped by one of the shop assistants in my local Lidl the other day. Being able to look at normal sized clothing instead of plus size and 4XL makes everything worth it. I'm a trendy mum now.' 11 Today, Lois is 9st 2lbs and feels like she has her old self back Credit: Emma Phillipson - Commissioned by The Sun 11 She adds: 'Being able to look at normal sized clothing instead of plus size and 4XL makes everything worth it' Credit: SWNS
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
The wild west of beauty: why Ireland's cosmetic treatment craze needs taming
Type 'botox party' into your search engine and watch as almost two million results pop up. Among the items there to grab your attention are card designs for invites to such a party, videos on how to 'experience the excitement of botox parties', tips on how to run such an event, and a 'what you need to know' guide for those just starting out on such an adventure. Botox, fillers, and other cosmetic procedures are now as normal as booking in for a hair appointment, a chin wax, or a dental scale and polish. More traditionally associated with a select number of providers, the offering open to people now who are looking for cosmetic improvements is wide, with people also considering travelling abroad for procedures, or simply getting together with 'the girls' for a laugh, a drink, and a shot of botulinum toxin (botox) in the comfort of their own home. This week's Irish Examiner Women's Health Report shows that a growing number of women, particularly in the under 34 age profile, feel positive towards cosmetic treatments and plastic surgery procedures including brow lifts, 'nose jobs', and breast augmentation. For example, 44% of those in the 25 to 34 age bracket felt positively about cosmetic treatments compared with just 17% of the over 65 category. While there is slightly more reticence about plastic surgery procedures among all age cohorts, the age differential remains. Over a third, 35%, of those in the 25-34 age category felt positively about plastic surgery compared with just 10% in the over 65 category. Overall, 12% of the 1,078 women interviewed for the Ipsos B&A survey conducted over a two-week period had undergone a procedure involving botox or fillers. For the vast majority of respondents, the experience was positive. Of those who had undergone botox or anti-wrinkle injections, 82% would consider doing it again. Why do people do it? So why do people do it? Almost half of women who opted for cosmetic treatments such as botox or anti-wrinkle injections did it to boost their confidence. The desire to roll back the years was also evident in the responses with 50% saying they had undergone lip fillers/injections for anti-ageing purposes, compared with 66% who said they had done botox or anti-wrinkle injections for anti-ageing reasons. In recent years, dental practices across the country began offering cosmetic procedures including botox and dermal fillers, with the Dental Council having its own code of conduct for the area, which was updated in 2023. The Irish Examiner survey shows that while one in seven of the surveyed women were aware of dentists offering cosmetic procedures, just one in 10 knew GPs also offered such services. Dublin-based aesthetic medicine practitioner Eithne Brenner has been a doctor for 36 years, including 25 years as a GP. She diverted her focus to aesthetic medicine in 2007 and says that her clients are mainly women in the over 45 category, who are looking for cosmetic work to tackle signs of ageing. 'I do work with lasers improving people's ruddy complexions, doing work that can be very subtle and very effective,' said Dr Brenner. 'The filler side of it is one of the areas where there is still a lot of bad work out there. I don't see the younger girls at all because they are looking for a bargain in somebody's kitchen. "I tend to see people 45 or 50 plus who want subtle changes and they are terrified of looking different but they want something. My work is more restorative. The younger girls are going to beauticians and people who are cheaper. They take more risks. 'I have colleagues who do amazing breast reconstruction for somebody who has very heavy, very droopy boobs and pain. In the right hands, surgery can be transformative. But it is about doing research. These are very serious medical procedures.' Dr Brenner accepts that there is more awareness now of the dangers of unscrupulous people carrying out cosmetic procedures but said: 'There is still a drive for plastic surgery and there is an issue of how do we raise our younger generation to be really careful and know they don't need these things.' Currently, botox is supposed to be only available through prescription, under the administration of qualified doctors and dentists. However, as seizures conducted by the Health Products Regulatory Authority show, there is a thriving market for counterfeit and illegal versions in Ireland. Last year, 1,709 units of fake or illegal products claiming to contain botulinum toxin were seized, compared with just 26 in 2020. Unlike botox, dermal filler is not yet subjected to stringent regulations, meaning that it can be administered in unsafe settings and environments. Legislation delayed Legislation mooted in 2016 still has not been enacted for governing the area of cosmetic procedures. The Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill was approved by the then government in 2017 and subsequently underwent pre-legislative scrutiny. It was then referred to the Office of the Attorney General for drafting. In March, in answer to a parliamentary question, health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the legislation remained with the AG's office and that her department continues to work on it. She said it will, for the first time, 'introduce a licensing requirement for all hospitals, public and private, and certain designated high-risk activities in the community'. The general scheme of the bill outlines that 'designated activities are likely to initially relate to cosmetic surgery services but other services may be added over time as the licensing system becomes embedded in the health system'. Social Democrats health spokesman Pádraig Rice called the delay in progressing the bill unacceptable. 'It's almost eight years since the draft legislation received government approval, and yet there is no sign of the final bill,' said Mr Rice. 'In that time, there has been an exponential increase in demand for unregulated cosmetic procedures. Until Hiqa has the necessary accreditation, inspection, and enforcement powers, patients will continue to fall into the hands of unqualified practitioners.' Almost half of women who opted for cosmetic treatments such as botox or anti-wrinkle injections did it to boost their confidence, and the desire to roll back the years was also evident in the responses, the IPsos B&A survey found. Last week in the UK, the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed that 14 people from Co Durham and Darlington had experienced 'adverse reactions' including eye drooping and double vision following a procedure involving 'botulinum toxin' injections. Of those, 10 people required treatment as a result. The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said that investigations were ongoing 'but evidence so far does not suggest that the product used has been contaminated' and that 'symptoms are being reported a few weeks after injection'. It added: 'UKHSA has issued advice to clinicians to ensure that they look out for botulism in people who may have had a recent aesthetic procedure in order to provide them appropriate treatment which includes giving anti-toxin.' Meanwhile, a public health notice was issued in the past 10 days by the UKHSA asking clients of an aesthetics company in Wolverhampton who received 'vampire facials' to contact it to arrange free blood tests, due to concerns about the risk of bloodborne viruses including hepatitis. The notice said that 'inadequate cleaning of equipment used for this treatment at the clinic' had been identified as 'a risk to health'. Dr Brenner is adamant that progress needs to be made on the planned Irish legislation and cites the recent UK cases as examples of why there needs to be regulation of the sector. 'Botox is a prescription-only medicine so you have to see a doctor or dentist for a consultation to make sure you are suitable,' she said. 'But there is absolute widespread fraud and illegal use among non-medical staff and we do know there is illegal product coming into the country. When we get into fillers, it is even more Wild West. They are not counted as a medicine at all, they are counted as a medical device, a bit like a bandage. "So you could legally go onto any website, buy filler, and inject one of your friends and you are technically not breaking the law. There are good quality products but there is also a tonne of cheap stuff.' She said that people opting to buy bargain filler products online have no concept of 'cleanliness, hygiene, safety, anatomy'. Unscrupulous use of filler products can lead to strokes or other health implications such as scarring and loss of tissue, she added. 'It has been really trivialised. It has become like a commodity like getting your hair done. I do think in the 40 plus age group, they are more cautious and more nervous of looking overdone and they are the people who come to a medical person. "But the younger ones are very bargain-led, which you can understand, but that is where there is a safety issue. And you have people doing what are major surgical procedures and all that kinds of crazy things in filthy conditions. 'There was a death last year of a mum of five in the UK who died from having a litre of filler injected into each buttock.' Dr Brenner said that botox parties are not the right location for such a procedure. People could be on medications that they might not disclose in a public setting at a party. It is not conducive to cleanliness or confidentiality.' A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the Irish Examiner: 'The general scheme of the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill was approved by government on December 12, 2017. It underwent pre-legislative scrutiny at the Oireachtas joint committee of health on June 13, 2018, was subsequently referred to the Attorney General's Office for drafting. 'Legislative priority was given to the Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 which was commenced in September 2024. 'A decision is now being sought from the Government to recommence drafting of the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill. A memo for Government will be considered at Cabinet shortly.'
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Why many women are deciding not to have a child
A new National Women's Health Survey, commissioned by the Irish Examiner and carried out by market researchers Ipsos B&A, found that, among women who are currently pregnant or who have had a child, one in five experienced fertility difficulties. Four in five of these women sought medical advice in relation to their infertility or their partner's, while 52% underwent fertility treatment such as IVF. A total of 1,078 women aged 18 and above responded to the survey. While 45% of the women who had had a child said they plan to have another, 49% said they don't want to. Galway woman Serena Matthew, who is in her early 40s, falls into that cohort: 'Two children were always in my head as an [ideal] number. I now have an 11-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy. My husband would have loved a third, but we decided that after our second, it just wasn't an option.' Their decision was based on their finances. 'We saw the cost involved in bringing up two children. We've a four-bed house and the fourth bedroom is small, so we didn't have the space. Moving wasn't an option with prices going up. Two is what we could handle. We didn't want to put ourselves in a difficult position financially.' Matthew is not alone in her position. More than one in three National Women's Health Survey respondents report not feeling financially in a position to have a child, or another child. 11% disagree, and a large number 'don't know' or are unsure. Dr Dora Tuda, an ESRI research officer is not surprised by the finding that one-quarter of all women say they have delayed, or will delay, having children until they have reached certain financial or career goals — a thinking more characteristic of middle-class women. Tuda points out that nowadays, in Ireland, the EU and the US, more women than men hold a third-level degree: 'In Europe in 2022, 48% of women held a third-level degree compared to 37% of men. Why do people get a higher-level degree? To get a better job, a higher income. So if women are considering having a child, they also need to think about leaving the labour market for a while, which corresponds to some income loss.' While acknowledging that it sounds harsh, Tuda highlights what economists refer to as a 'child penalty' — the pay cut that having a child involves and that falls disproportionately on women. 'Even in Scandinavian countries — [considered] more 'equal' than other countries — women on average experience a 20% income loss after having a child compared to men with the same experience and qualifications. This is because of maternity leave — once they return to work, it takes time to catch up. They may lose chances of promotion.' Dr Dora Tuda, a research officer with the ESRI. Equality in leave In Ireland, parental leave is set up so women are more likely to take leave after having a child — 26 weeks paid maternity leave compared to two weeks paid paternity leave for fathers. 'The system is [such] that the income loss from having a child is taken on by women and not equally between men and women,' says Tuda, adding that Norway — and more recently Spain — are taking steps to counteract this. 'Spain has introduced a mandatory equal parental leave for both parents — they're each given six months. The mother takes the first six months, after which she returns to work, and the second parent takes the next six months. If the second parent doesn't take it, the leave goes away.' That more than one in three women here don't feel, financially, they could have a child, or another child, is also put in context, says Tuda, by the rising cost of child-rearing. 'Recent estimates from Laya Life say to raise a child up to age 21 costs €169,000.' However, delaying having children is not all down to cost. 'People are spending longer in education compared to earlier. They're also taking longer to reach job stability. Gap years abroad, unpaid internships — all valid decisions young people take to get ahead, to have better opportunities when seeking a more stable permanent job, but it also delays having children.' As do housing challenges — Tuda points out that in 10 years, the median age of buyers taking out residential property mortgages climbed by four years. 'In 2010, the median age was 33 years. In 2021, it was 37. Being older when buying property can automatically delay starting a family.' In the mix, too, says Tuda, is a sense of changing cultural norms — a move towards smaller families or even remaining childless. 'You hear this more often than you did 20 years ago.' Bonnie O'Halloran: 'One friend wants children with her boyfriend. But most people my age feel similarly to me. They don't fear pregnancy as I do — they focus more on the climate and financial aspect. None of us has stable enough careers to consider having kids. Most of us still live with our parents.' Picture: Moya Nolan Not wanting a child Of respondents to the National Women's Health Survey, who are aged under 50 and who have not yet had a child, 37% said it is unlikely they will have a child, and one-fifth are adamant they won't. One of these respondents — 25-year-old Bonnie O'Halloran from Naas — explains why, for a variety of reasons, she does not want to have children. For one, she suspects she has endometriosis — there is a family history — and she fears what pregnancy will do to her body. 'I've not wanted kids for as long as I can remember. Being a woman, it's said to you a lot — 'when will you have kids?' When you say you don't want that, you're told 'you will when you're older'. That didn't happen for me. My youngest brother was born when I was 11. I got to watch him growing up, and the responsibility of being there for another human being isn't something I wanted for myself.' 'I also saw what parenting did to my parents, not in any horrible way, but the things they had to give up. My mum went to college when she was 40 and I'm really proud of that but she couldn't do it sooner. I don't want to put that kind of pressure on myself.' Yet O'Halloran, who has a degree in illustration and currently works as a substitute teacher, loves children and thinks she might adopt when she's in her 40s. But she also sees the world's current political atmosphere, as well as climate and financial realities, as factors in deciding not to have children — a feeling she says many of her peers share: 'One friend wants children with her boyfriend. But most people my age feel similarly to me. They don't fear pregnancy as I do — they focus more on the climate and financial aspect. None of us has stable enough careers to consider having kids. Most of us still live with our parents.' While a recent CSO report indicates that our fertility rate is declining, Tuda confirms that, at 1.55 births per woman, it remains above the European average of 1.46. Among the under-50 survey respondents, who have yet to start a family, about two in five say they are 'definitely' or 'very likely' going to do so, with a further 10% saying they are 'quite likely'. Click here to read our National Women's Health Survey. The Irish Examiner Women's Health Survey 2025 Ipsos B&A designed and implemented a research project for the Irish Examiner involving a nationally representative sample of n=1,078 women over the age of 16 years. The study was undertaken online with fieldwork conducted between April 30 and May 15, 2025. The sample was quota controlled by age, socio-economic class, region and area of residence to reflect the known profile of women in Ireland based on the census of population and industry agreed guidelines. Ipsos B&A has strict quality control measures in place to ensure robust and reliable findings; results based on the full sample carry a margin of error of +/-2.8%. In other words, if the research was repeated identically results would be expected to lie within this range on 19 occasions out of 20. A variety of aspects were assessed in relation to women's health including fertility, birth, menopause, mental health, health behaviour, and alcohol consumption.
