The UK is currently adhering to a number of social distancing measures due to coronavirus, with people being told to stay at home with the exception of some circumstances. And with many people at home, some have suggested another baby boom could be on the way.

What is a baby boom?

The term ‘baby boom’ is used to define a period where the birth rate significantly increases.

People born during these periods are often known as ‘baby boomers’.

Over the course of history, the birthrate has sharply increased in different parts of the world following periods of national crisis.

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When have there been baby booms?

The UK witnessed a baby boom between 1945 and 1965, after the end of World War Two.

Many couples had been separated during the war, and people had the chance to begin new relationships once the war was finally over, factors which all contributed to the rise in births to follow.

Due to World War Two and the Great Depression in the years previous, many people in the US also held off on having children while the nation dealt with the national crisis.

In America, an estimated 75 million babies were born between 1946 and 1964.

Will there be a baby boom after coronavirus?

Experts are not certain just when the COVID-19 pandemic will end yet.

But many people have started to speculate the world could see a baby boom following the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

In some cases historically, there have been boosts in birthrate following national events, like World War 2.

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And due to the current social distancing measures where people have been told to stay at home, some say it could mean more babies will be born than usual in months to follow.

But some experts are sceptical of a post-pandemic baby boom.

Yale Medicine infectious disease specialist Dr Jaimie Meyer told Cosmopolitan “history suggests otherwise” on the possibility of a post-coronavirus baby boom.

Dr Meyer said: “Epidemiological data from other times of stress and quarantine, including famines, earthquakes, heat waves, and contagious outbreaks like Ebola and flu, suggests that during events with high community-wide mortality, there is actually a dip in births nine months later.

“After the traumatic event resolves, starting 10 to 11 months after an epidemic, birth rates begin to recover.”

While it is difficult to predict the future, the bookmakers think more babies could well be a possibility in 2021.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes have slashed their odds to just 1/3 to see a record-breaking number of births next year.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “There’s very little else to do right now and with Boris instructing Brits to exercise outdoors just once a day, it looks as though couples could be getting active elsewhere.”

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