There were 595,000 live births in England and Wales in 2001, compared with 604,000 in 2000, a decrease of nearly two per cent. Of the total, 40 per cent occurred outside marriage, compared with 30 per cent in 1991. Women under 25 had the highest proportion of births outside marriage: nearly 90 per cent of births to teenagers and 63 per cent of births to women aged 20-24.
Source: Birth Statistics: Review of the Registrar General on births and patterns of family building in England and Wales, 2001, Series FM1 30, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 12.3
Date: 2002-Dec
In 2001-02 about 1.2 million women and 91,000 men attended family planning clinics in England. The peak age for clinic attendance was 16-19; an estimated 23 per cent of women in this age group visited a clinic during the year.
Source: NHS Contraceptive Services, England: 2001-02, Statistical Bulletin 2002/20, Department of Health (020 7972 5581)
Links: Bulletin (pdf) | DH press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122, paragraph 12.3
Date: 2002-Oct
An article presented various methods that have been proposed to adjust period fertility data to take account of changes in the timing of childbearing, applied to England and Wales data.
Source: Steve Smallwood, 'The effect of changes in timing of childbearing on measuring fertility in England and Wales', Population Trends 109, Autumn 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2002-Sep
There were 186,274 legal abortions carried out in England and Wales in 2001, a rise of 899 (0.5 per cent) compared with 2000.
Source: Abortion Statistics 2001, Series AB 28, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122, paragraph 12.3
Date: 2002-Sep
An article gave provisional statistics of live births, stillbirths and infant deaths registered in 2001 in England and Wales, for each health authority and National Health Service regional office.
Source: 'Infant and perinatal mortality 2001: health areas, England and Wales', Health Statistics Quarterly 15, Autumn 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 12.3
Date: 2002-Aug
Live births fell to 594,600, their lowest annual level since 1977 (England and Wales, 2001).
Source: Press release 16.5.02, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Press release (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123 (paragraph 12.3)
Date: 2002-May
An article examined birth rate trends by reference to data on children's birth order; 40 per cent of babies are now born out of wedlock.
Source: S. Smallwood, 'New estimates of trends in births by birth order in England and Wales', Population Trends 108, Summer 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2002-May
