More mothers older and unmarried

More women are giving birth later in life than a decade ago, according to new figures.

Some 20 per cent of babies born in England and Wales last year had mothers aged 35 and over, an increase from just 15 per cent in 1999.

Meanwhile the proportion of births to married couples has fallen steadily over the last 30 years, with 54 per cent in 2009, 61 per cent in 1999 and 89 per cent in 1979.

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The figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also showed that fathers tend to be older than mothers.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of all babies had mothers aged 30 and over, but more than two-thirds (64 per cent) had fathers in the same age category.

The total number of births decreased for the first time since 2001, with 706,248 live births last year, a fall of 0.3 per cent.