Despite a dip in the UK’s fertility rate since the 1960s, two East Lancashire areas have ranked as being the most fertile areas in the country.
Digital health service, Now Patient collected data for more than 330 areas across England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics which revealed that Pendle shares the spot for second most fertile area.
As well as Slough, Bedford, and Elmbridge, Pendle has a fertility rate of 2.09 births per woman in 2021.
Blackburn with Darwen has also secured a spot on the top ten table, coming in as the eighth most fertile area in England and Wales (2.05) in the same year.
The UK’s fertility rate was at its highest in 1963 when it stood at 2.81 which has now decreased by almost 38 per cent.
Contraception was made readily available to women through the NHS after the 1967 Family Planning Act was brought into place. Before this, contraception was only given to women whose health was thought to be put at risk by pregnancy.
Since the legalisation of the contraceptive pill and the passing of the Abortion Act, the UK’s fertility rate has continued to decrease with its lowest rate being in 2003, when it stood at 1.66.
A spokesperson for Now Patient said: “Perhaps one of the most significant events during the 60s was the legalisation of the contraceptive pill in 1967.
“The Abortion Act was also passed in the same year, allowing women to have an abortion if there were significant health risks to either themselves or their unborn child.
“These two Acts meant that women were able to take control of their own fertility for the first time.”
Of the 49 countries analysed by Now Patient, South Korea had the lowest fertility rate at 1.08, which the South Korean government have attempted to increase by offering longer maternity leave, bigger bonuses and subsiding housing in Seoul for newlyweds.
Israel had the highest fertility rate, standing at 2.93, which is almost 67.5 per cent higher than that of the UK.
It is thought that one of the factors contributing to Israel’s high fertility rate could be the policies that make it easier for women to have a good balance between work and general life after giving birth.
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