The line graph shows changes in birth rates among women in six age groups in the UK from 1973 to 2008.
Overall, the most noticeable pattern is that birth rates for younger women, especially those aged under 20 and 20-25, fell over the period, while the rates for women aged 30 and above increased. Despite some fluctuations, women aged 25-29 consistently had the highest birth rate, and those aged 40 and over had the lowest.
At the beginning of the period, the birth rate for the 25-29 age group was the highest, at around 130 births per 1,000 women, although it declined slightly to just under 120 by 2008. The rate for 20-25-year-olds also dropped significantly, falling from a peak of about 120 to around 95 at the end of the period. Similarly, the figure for women under 20 decreased from roughly 55 to about 45.
In contrast, the birth rates among older women showed upward trends. The 30-35 group rose steadily from around 60 in 1973 to nearly 95 in 2008, becoming one of the highest by the end of the period. The rate for 35-39-year-olds also increased noticeably, more than doubling from about 20 to just above 50. Meanwhile, the 40 and over group remained the lowest throughout the period, with a slight decline from roughly 12 to 10.