The line graph illustrates the differences in the birth rate in Britain across six distinct age groups: under 20, 20-25, 25-29, 30-35, 35-39, and 40 and over, spanning from 1973 to 2008.
Overall, the number of births decreased in four of the age categories, despite fluctuations in one. The exceptions were two older age groups, which experienced an increase over the period.
The two youngest categories, under 20 and 25-29, exhibited similar downward trends. The birth rate for those under 20 fell from 60 to 40, while the 25-29 age group showed a decrease from 125 to 95. Meanwhile, the 40 and over group started with the lowest birth rate at 20 and steadily declined to just 10 over the next 15 years.
The next two age groups showed stagnant birth rates from 1973 to 2008, but ended with contrasting trends. The 25-29 age group fluctuated only slightly between 140 and 120 births throughout the entire period. In contrast, the 35-39 age group remained stable until around 1988, after which it saw a significant increase, reaching just 65 births by 2008. On the other hand, the birth rates for individuals aged 30-35 rose consistently each year, culminating at just above 80 in the final year.