The line graph illustrates changes in the birth rate in the UK for women in six different age groups from 1973 to 2008.
Overall, women aged 25-29 and 20-24 recorded the highest birth rates throughout the period, although both groups experienced a general decline. In contrast, the figures for the30-35 and 35-39 age groups increased over time. Meanwhile, women aged 40 and over consistently had the lowest birth rate.
In 1973, the highest birth rate was among women aged 25-29, at about 135 births per 1,000 women. This figure fell to around 118 in the early 1980s, then rose again to approximately 133 in the mid-1990s before declining to about 118 by 2008. The rate for women aged 20-24 also decreased steadily, from roughly 125 in 1973 to around 90 at the end of the period.
By comparison, the birth rate for women aged 30-35 increased from about 70 to around 84 births per 1,000. A more noticeable rise can be seen in the 35-39 group, whose figure grew from just over 40 in 1973 to approximately 65 in 2008. On the other hand, the rate for women under 20 fell from around 58 to 40, while the figure for women aged 40 and over declined slightly from about 18 to around 10.