by Jenni Horn

Maybe cricket fans were celebrating England reclaiming the Ashes or it was the threat of swine flu keeping couples indoors.

Or maybe there was just something in the water in Medway in August 2009, because nine months on, the Towns have experienced a baby boom.

A record-breaking number of new arrivals were born at Medway Maritime Hospital last month - a staggering 434.

The maternity team were kept busy with around 15 births each day, resulting in the highest number of babies born in one month in the hospital’s history.

The middle of an economic recession may not seem like the ideal time to start planning a family but last year the supermarket chain Tesco predicted a baby boom could be imminent.

In July 2009 it reported a drop in sales of contraceptives, combined with an increasing demand for pregnancy nutrients.

Tesco healthcare buyer Joy Wickham said condom purchases fell by nine per cent, while sales of folic acid and other nutrients which aid a baby’s development throughout pregnancy reached an all-time high.

Karen McIntyre, head of midwifery at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said she is thrilled so many mums are choosing to bring their babies into the world at Medway Maritime.

The hospital in Gillingham is home to the largest maternity unit in Kent and in addition to the delivery suite which caters for natural births, the department has a birthing pool for mums who prefer a water birth.

She added: “Around 4,500 babies are born at the hospital every year and the birth rate is expected to rise in the coming years. We look forward to welcoming even more mothers and babies and to continue offering them excellent care in surroundings tailored to suit their needs.”