Almost half of young women would consider freezing their eggs, research suggests, as women say they are overwhelmed by conflicting advice on fertility.

The survey by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) found widespread fears among those hoping to start a family one day.

The poll found 44 per cent of women aged 18 to 24 said they would consider egg freezing to try to preserve their fertility.

Across more than 1,000 women polled - who were aged betwen 18 and 65 - 11 per cent had frozen their eggs or considered it, the survey found.

The survey, for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), found almost half of all women have worried about their own fertility, with a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they were concerned.

Last year a study found egg freezing brings no help to 90 per cent of women who opt for it, with the vast majority of cases leaving it too late. Less than one in three of those opting for egg freezing do so before the age of 35, when it is most likely to succeed.

Experts suggest that those in their late 30s would need to freeze around 30 eggs to have a good chance of achieving pregnancy, at a cost of about £15,000.