Childbirth delayed

Women in their early thirties are now more likely to have children than those in their early twenties. Figures in the latest edition of Population Trends from the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys show that in 1992, for the first time, the fertility rate for women aged 30-34 was higher than for those aged 20-24. A decade ago, those in their early twenties were 50 per cent more likely to have a baby.