Number of babies born falls by more than 4% in England and Wales

Office for National Statistics says welfare reforms may have influenced childbearing decisions as data coincides with average age for motherhood reaching 30 for first time

The number of babies born in England and Wales fell by 4.3% last year, the largest percentage annual drop for almost 40 years, and the average age of mothers has risen to 30 for the first time, new figures reveal.

Benefits changes, uncertainty about employment and restricted career and promotion opportunities because of temporary, part-time and zero-hour contracts, could be factors in the drop in live births, the Office for National Statistics says.

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from Pregnancy | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1rrgJtc