Fertility rates in Kettering and Wellingborough among highest in the country

Kettering and Wellingborough have some of the highest fertility rates in England and Wales.

Wellingborough had the ninth highest fertility rate out of English and Welsh local authorities in 2019, while Kettering was 20th.

Fertility rate is the average number of live children would have while she is of childbearing age.

Both Kettering and Wellingborough local authorities recorded an increase in live births and the fertility rate between 2018 and 2019, whereas the national average saw a decline.

David Corps, a statistician at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said: "The story of births in England and Wales in 2019 is one of decreases and record lows, with the total number of births continuing the fall we've seen in recent years.

"Wales had the lowest fertility rate since our records began and England's is nearing its record low."

Kettering and Wellingborough both went against this trend, with some of the highest fertility rates in the country.

In Wellingborough, there were 916 live births in 2019 compared to 891 in 2018, and the fertility rate increased from 1.96 children to 2.06.

In Kettering, the number of live births increased from 1,191 in 2018 to 1,213 in 2019, while the fertility rate increased from 1.95 to 1.99.

According to the ONS, live births in England and Wales decreased by 2.5 per cent between 2018 and 2019, so Kettering and Wellingborough were against this national trend.

It is the fourth consecutive year that the number of live births in England and Wales have decreased and the fertility rate was lower in 2019 than all previous years except 2000 to 2002.

Fertility rates in Kettering and Wellingborough are also above average, as nationally this was 1.65 children per woman in England and Wales in 2019 and a fall of 2.9 per cent since 2018.

The ONS said possible reasons for a decrease in fertility rate could be improved access to contraception, the reduction in mortality rates of children under five which results in women having fewer babies, and lower levels of fertility or difficulty conceiving because of trying for a baby later in life.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive.

We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you.