Researchers found that fertility in Scotland was below that of other countries and regions in the United Kingdom. In comparison with their English neighbours, Scottish women left longer gaps between their children, and were more likely to stop at two children. As a result, fertility in Scotland was below the average required to replace the population.
Source: Elspeth Graham, Paul Boyle, George Bouliotis, Vernon Gayle and John Ermisch, Why Is Fertility in Scotland Lower than in England?, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000) | Fran Wasoff, Fertility Variations in Scotland: Attitudes and interactions, Economic and Social Research Council
Links: Report (1) | Report (2) | ESRC press release | Telegraph report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Dec
Researchers examined the choices, circumstances, and motivations which influenced and underpinned sole and joint birth registration. Sole registrants were typically lone parents (most cohabitants registered jointly), facing high level of disadvantage (such as low qualifications, social tenancy, and the young age of the mother).
Source: Jenny Graham, Chris Creegan, Matthew Barnard, Alice Mowlam and Stephen McKay, Sole and Joint Birth Registration: Exploring the circumstances, choices and motivations of unmarried parents, Research Report 463, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2007-Sep
Provisional fertility rates for 2006 give an average number of 1.87 children per woman in England and Wales, the highest since 1980.
Source: 'Live births in England and Wales, 2006: area of residence', Population Trends 128, Summer 2007, Office for National Statistics, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Article | ONS press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jun
The government published a Green Paper on proposals to require unmarried parents to jointly register the birth of their children.
Source: Joint Birth Registration: Promoting parental responsibility, Cm 7160, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Green Paper | DWP press release | Fathers Direct press release
Date: 2007-Jun
1 in 13 live births in England and Wales in 2005 were born pre-term (before 37 weeks gestation), according to new statistics published for the first time - 6 per cent of singleton live births, and 53 per cent of multiple live births.
Source: Press release 24 May 2007, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: ONS press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-May
In the first quarter of 2006 the under-16 rate of conceptions was 7.0 per 1,000 girls (aged 13-15), compared with 7.6 for the same quarter of 2005. The under-18 rate was 39.7 per 1,000 girls (aged 15-17), compared with 41.4 for the same quarter in 2005. In both cases this was the lowest first quarter rate since 1993, when the statistical series started.
Source: 'Conceptions: age of woman at conception', Table 4.1, Health Statistics Quarterly 34, Summer 2007, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Table | DfES press release | Regeneration & Renewal report
Date: 2007-May
Researchers examined the attitudes to fertility of men and women of child-bearing age in Scotland. Men and women wanted to have more children than they actually did, with the average ideal family size being 2.48 children, whereas in practice the average was 1.24 for this group.
Source: Fran Wasoff and Ian Dey, Fertility Variations in Scotland: Actual, expected and ideal fertility, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships/University of Edinburgh (0131 651 1832)
Links: Briefing
Date: 2007-Apr
An article reported a study of neighbourhood and peer influences on pregnancy to fertility among young mothers. There was no evidence that peers influenced behaviour: but the data did suggest that early childbearing might be normative in some communities.
Source: Lisa Arai, 'Peer and neighbourhood influences on teenage pregnancy and fertility: qualitative findings from research in English communities', Health and Place, Volume 13 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Mar
In 2005, there were 41.1 pregnancies per 1,000 girls (under 18) in England, compared with 41.5 per 1,000 in 2004. The figures showed wide regional variations, with deprived areas having higher rates.
Source: 'Conceptions in England and Wales, 2005', Health Statistics Quarterly 33, Spring 2007, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Zoe Uren, Dilwyn Sheers and Nirupa Dattani, 'Teenage conceptions by small area deprivation in England and Wales, 2001?2002', Health Statistics Quarterly 33, Spring 2007, Office for National Statistics, TSO
Links: Articles | DfES press release | Brook press release | FPA press release | LGA press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Feb
