出生率趋势

The line graph compares UK birth rates (measured per 1000 people) for women in six age categories over the period from 1973 to 2008. Overall, women aged 25-29 had the highest birth rate throughout most of the period, while those aged 40 and over consistently recorded the lowest figures. It is also notable that birth rates fell for younger women and the oldest group, but rose for women aged 30 and above. In 1973, the birth rate for 25-29 year olds was nearly 140 per 1000, the highest of all groups. After an initial drop to around 118 by 1983, this figure rose to a peak of approximately 134 in 1993 before declining slightly to 120 in 2008. Similarly, the rate for 20-25 year olds, which stood at 125 in 1973, saw a steady fall to 95 by the end of the period. Birth rates for women under 20 also decreased gradually, from 60 to 41. By contrast, birth rates for women in their 30s rose: the figure for 30-35 year olds increased from 71 to 86, while that for 35-39 year olds climbed from 40 to 66, overtaking the rate for under-20s around 1993. The oldest group (40 and over) had the lowest rate, starting at 21 and dropping marginally to 13 by 2008.