Almost half of parents-to-be do not believe marriage is important

ALMOST half of parents-to-be in Britain do not believe it is important to be married before having children, a survey revealed today.

The poll of 2,000 pregnant women and their partners found that just 55% of women and 52% of men thought it was better for a couple to be married before having a baby.

The research, carried out for Pregnancy & Birth Magazine, also revealed the changing shape of family life in Britain. Almost a quarter of pregnant women (23%) were bringing a child into the world knowing they would most likely be a single mother