The line graph illustrates how the birth rates for UK women changed in different age groups from 20 to over 40 years old between 1973 and 2008.
It can be seen that there was a downward trend in almost all age groups with the figure for the age group between 20-25 being the most dramatic, except for women aged from 35 to 39 and from 30 to 35. Additionally, the birth rate of women in aging from 25 to 29 was the highest number during the period.
In 1973, the UK birth rate of women from 25 to 29 years old was the highest, at 140 births per 1000 people, followed by age groups 20-25 and 30-35, at 125 and 72 respectively. Over the next 10 years, the figure for women aged 20-25 experienced a significant decrease by 20 births, followed by a sharp increase to 135 births in 1993, before ending the period with a mild fluctuation between the level of 120 births. While the figure for aging 20-25 witnessed a moderate decrease to 118 births in 1988, before dropping considerably to 85 births per 1000 in 2008. A opposite trend can be seen in the birth rate of women 30-35 which increased gradually to 80 births over the next 10 years before continuing to grow to 85 births at the end of the period.
In 1973, the figure for women under 20 years old was at 60 births per 1000, after which it decreased to 40 births in 2008. A similar trend can be seen in the figure of 40 and over years old which started at 20 births before witnessing a gradual decrease to 10 births at the end of the period. While the birth rate of women from 35 to 39 years old was at 40 births in 1973, followed by a moderate increase to 43 births, before ending with a considerable rise to 62 births per 1000 people in 2008.