Post-lockdown life could deliver big baby boom
New research has suggested the end of lockdown restrictions may create a baby boom big enough to match the one that happened at the end of World War Two.
The research by Opinium found that as many as 1.9 million UK babies could be born in the two years following the end of restrictions, if respondents follow through with their stated intentions to start a family.
A quarter of 25 to 40 year olds responded to the research saying that having children is now more important to them than it was prior to the pandemic. Over half of those who wished to “fast track” life goals in the wake of the pandemic said they intend to have children during the next two years.
If these respondents follow through with their desires, the number of children born would equate to 950,000 babies per year - just over the 900,000 born in 1946 after the war’s end.
There were an average of 650,000 babies born each year between 2018 and 2019.
Experts predict that 2021 will see the lowest UK birth rate since records began thanks to the pandemic.
But some believe that, as life returns to normal, pent up demand for starting a family and changed priorities could see a surge in the birth rate towards the end of the year and during 2022.
Previously, experts had predicted the March 2020 lockdown would lead to a wave of ‘coronababies’, but this has not occurred at a great scale.
Official figures on babies conceived during this time are yet to be published but the number of pregnancy scans carried out 12 weeks after the March 2020 lockdown was one per cent down on the same period in 2019.
Society Tomorrow author Dr Ian Pearson said: “The pandemic has made everyone much more aware of the economic and emotional stability and security offered by home ownership, marriage and having children.
“As indicated in this research, I expect we’ll start seeing evidence in the next year or two both of this new mindset and the priorities shift on births and marriages.”