Women in Northern Ireland are likely to have more children, on average, than women in any other country in the UK, statistics have revealed. 

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics showed that in 2016, mothers in the UK had on average 1.79 children each.

This was a very slight decrease from 2015, when mothers in the UK had on average 1.80 children.

This means that mothers are increasingly likely to have just one child.

Average number of children per mother in:

1. Northern Ireland – 1.95 children per woman on average

2. England – 1.81 children per woman on average

3. Wales – 1.74 children per woman on average 

4. Scotland – 1.52 children per woman on average.

So what about the differences between regions?

Look at the list below to see the places where women had the most and least children in your area.

North West

On average: 1.85 children per woman.

Highest: Blackburn with Dawen – 2.25 children per woman.

Lowest: Liverpool – 1.60 children per woman.

North East

On average: 1.72 children. 

Highest: Middlesborough – 1.98

Lowest: Newcastle upon Tyne – 1.56

Yorkshire and the Humber

On average: 1.82

Highest: Bradford – 2.21

Lowest: York – 1.37

East Midlands

On average: 1.82

Highest: Corby – 2.15

Lowest: Rushcliffe – 1.6

West Midlands

On average: 1.91 

Highest: East Staffordshire – 2.14

Lowest: Newcastle-under-Lyme – 1.48

East 

On average: 1.91

Highest: Forest Heath – 2.31

Lowest: Cambridge – 1.45

London

On average: 1.72

Highest: Barking and Dagenham – 2.47

Lowest: City of London – 0.75

South East

On average: 1.84

Highest: Slough – 2.29

Lowest: Brighton and Hove – 1.3

South West

On average: 1.79

Highest: Forest of Dean – 2.06

Lowest: Bournemouth – 1.54

Wales

On average: 1.74

Highest: Denbighshire – 2.09

Lowest: Cardiff – 1.59

Scotland

On average: 1.52

Highest: Shetland Islands – 2.03

Lowest: City of Edinburgh – 1.22

Northern Ireland

On average: 1.95

Highest: Mid Ulster – 2.14

Lowest: Belfast – 1.77.

There were also regional differences when it came to the age of women giving birth in 2016. 

London was the region of England with the lowest birth rate for women aged under 18 (3.8 births per 1,000 women) while the North East had the highest (10.2 births per 1,000 women) in 2016.

The North East had the lowest birth rate for women aged 45 and over (0.5 births per 1,000 women) while London had the highest (2.7 births per 1,000 women) in 2016.

To read the full report from ONS, click here.