A baby boom among older women has trebled the number giving birth after their 40th birthday. Almost 27,000 babies were born to mothers over 40 last year, figures revealed yesterday. The unprecedented level is nearly three times the total of 20 years ago and up by 50 per cent over the past decade.
Britain now has one of the highest birth rates for older women in the world, with 3.8 per cent of all babies born to mothers over 40. Only Italy has a higher level in Europe. But the trend has led medical experts to warn that older women face greater risks of miscarriages and complications - with calls for the NHS to spend more on specialised services for those expecting children as they approach middle age. More and more Britons are delaying motherhood following the rise in women enjoying well-paid careers, as well as the growing need for both partners in a couple to have an income. An increasing number of live-in relationships also means many young women are uncertain they have the stability they need to raise a child.
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