There were 621,469 live births in England and Wales in 2003, an increase of 4.3 per cent on 2002 - the highest percentage rise since 1979. Fertility increased in all age groups, except for women aged under 20. The largest increases were for women aged 35-39, and 40 and over (with increases of over 7 per cent for each group).
Source: Birth Statistics: Review of the Registrar General on births and patterns of family building in England and Wales, 2003, Series FM1 32, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Dec
The conception rate in England and Wales increased by 3 per cent between 2001 and 2002, according to provisional statistics. There were 72.2 conceptions per 1,000 women aged 15-44, compared with 70.3 in 2001. The conception rate for girls aged under 18 in England and Wales rose slightly, from 42.7 conceptions per 1,000 girls aged 15-17 in 2001 to 42.8 in 2002.
Source: 'Conceptions in England and Wales, 2002', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf) | FPA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Nov
An article said that only around half of women who postponed childbearing into their thirties, and who still intended to start a family, managed to do so in the subsequent six years, according to an analysis of fertility intentions and subsequent fertility behaviour.
Source: Ann Berrington, 'Perpetual postponers? Women s, men s and couple s fertility intentions and subsequent fertility behaviour', Population Trends 117, Autumn 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Sep
A bulletin summarized information in respect of abortions carried out in England and Wales in 2003. The total number of abortions was 181,600, compared with 175,900 in 2002, a rise of 3.2 per cent. The age-standardized abortion rate was 17.5 per 1,000 resident women aged 15-44 (17.0 in 2002). The abortion rate was highest, at 31.4 per 1000, for women in the 20-24 age group. The under-16 abortion rate was 3.9 compared with 3.7 in 2002.
Source: Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2003, Statistical Bulletin 2004/14, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Bulletin (pdf) | FPA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Aug
An article provided data on live births in England and Wales, analysed by socio-economic group, for the period 1994 2001.
Source: 'Live births in England and Wales by National Statistics Socio-economic Classification, 1994 2001', Population Trends 115, Spring 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Mar
There were 596,122 live births in England and Wales in 2002, compared with 594,634 in 2001, an increase of 0.25 per cent. The proportion of multiple births increased by 20 per cent between 1992 and 2002.
Source: Birth Statistics: England and Wales, 2002, Series FM1/31, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Feb
