More babies are conceived at Christmas in England and Wales than at any other time of the year, according to two decades of data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The analysis reveals a surge in births around 40 weeks after the festive period, with late September seeing the highest number of births.
The ONS noted that while Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day have the lowest numbers of births, a peak in late September indicates that conceptions rise in the weeks leading up to and after Christmas. On average, there would be 1,800 births per day, but the most popular day, 26 September, saw 1,974 births.
Possible explanations include couples spending more time together during the holidays and parents aiming to have their children born at the start of the school year for perceived advantages. The low birth rates on Christmas and New Year's Day may partly be due to fewer scheduled Caesarean sections on those days.
Professor Allan Pacey, an andrologist at the University of Sheffield, commented: “The idea that more babies are conceived over the Christmas period makes a lot of sense. I'm sure the odd celebratory sherry has something to do with it too.”
