United Kingdom: Most children will be born out of wedlock by 2016

Photo: Pramface - BBC 3  TV Comedy Series

The proportion of children born to unmarried mothers hit a record 47.5 per cent last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. The figure has risen from 25 per cent in 1988 and just 11 per cent in 1979.

If the trend continues at the current rate, the majority of children will be born to parents who are not married by 2016.

Conservative MPs and experts warned that the stark decline of marriage is likely to lead to more family breakdowns and damage children's prospects. Read more

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Most children to be born outside of marriage by 2016

The term "pramface" is British slang for a young/unwed mother. It derives from "pram", a perambulator (baby carriage/stroller).