Maternity services and other relevant birth related bodies are preparing for a surge in conceptions and eventual new babies birth  boom in the aftermath of a long whirl of snowfall and freezing weather which have kept couples home sparking a major romance blossom.

In the past weeks, couples have been confined to their homes for long nights creating an opening for  spontaneous Mr and Mrs act upsurge. The situation has actually induced  many cosy and cheerful interactions as the coldest winter  for almost five decades create an atmosphere of mutual ladies and gentlemen act.

Similar weather situation according to studies abroad have linked sharp rise in the number of new births to same unfolding condition with high rise of birth nine months after heavy snow and major power cuts.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is predicting the same pattern of cold aftermath  in Britain, resulting in a “double whammy” hitting maternity wards this autumn, just as they recover from a regular peak in births following conceptions over the Christmas holiday.

“For thousands denied heating as well as television and radio during this month’s repeated power cuts, the chance to find alternative sources of warmth and entertainment will have proved irresistible” say midwives.

RCM director Jacque Gerrard said maternity units were now gearing up for a “significant” baby boom.

“All across the country, people have been snowed in, or getting home from work early so they can escape the worst of the weather. Some of them are going stir crazy – others are finding ways to entertain themselves,” she said.

“We are expecting a double whammy from September, on top of the normal Christmas conceptions,” she said.

With annual conception rates last year reaching a 791,000 – a 15 year record – it was possible a new UK high would be reached following this winter, she said.

Hospitals in Houston in the United States experienced a 25 per cent increase in deliveries last summer, nine months after power cuts caused by Hurricane Ike. Similar increases were seen following blizzards in Colorado a decade earlier, while a two day power cut in the Dutch town of Maasdriel was followed by a 44 per cent rise in baby births in September 2008.

Howard Archer, chief UK economist at forecasters IHS Global, said Britain could now expect a significant baby boom, but predicted sales of contraception were also likely to take a boost – along with those of thermal underwear.

“There is evidence from across the world that severe weather conditions can have an impact on conception rates, and it’s not hard to work out why. If couples are snowed in and can’t leave their house some of them are going to make their own entertainment,” he said.

But Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, said couples who already had children were unlikely to find that the snow had spiced up their sex lives.

“Most of the mothers I know say the snow is fun for the children, but it’s an awful lot of hard work for the parents.

“For many of them it has meant two-hour trips to get the shopping, school closures and nowhere to put the washing out. I think most of the mothers are too cold and too knackered to want more sex,” she said.

Marriage guidance counsellors said many relationships would benefit from the extra “quality time” together.

Mo Kurimbokus, a therapist from Relate said: “If couples don’t get much time for intimacy, and either partner is affected by work stresses, the extra time together could help them to strengthen their relationship”.

However, couples who were already in conflict were likely to find enforced confinement only exacerbated their problems.

“When you throw people together, there are winners and losers. The winners will spend more time together, and that could mean more sex, and it could mean a baby boom. Where a relationship has cracks showing, that element of enforcement is only going to make things worse,” he said.

Dating websites are reporting a surge in activity since the snow began, with increasing numbers of single people browsing the sites while stuck at home.

During the first week of January’s snowfall, online agency Mysinglefriend.com had an 167 per cent rise in new members, compared with the same period in November. Meanwhile peak browsing time switched from evenings to afternoons.

Its founder, TV presenter Sarah Beeny said the snow was proving to be “an icebreaker” for thousands of single people searching for love.

She said: “Perhaps it’s the thought of snuggling up, or perhaps it’s because of the extra time stuck at home, but our site has seen a surge in membership since the snow began”.

RAF officer Marcus Fountain, 39, and teacher Marabee Sargent, 36, fell in love last January – after getting snowed in for three days on their third date.

Now, the couple, who met via the dating website, are planning an April wedding.

Miss Sargent had driven an hour to Mr Fountain’s home in Grantham, Lincolnshire, where he had promised to cook dinner.

But within hours, a thick blanket of snow made the roads impassible.

Mr Fountain said: “We liked each other but we were only on our third date, and still at that awkward stage. The snow had began just before Marabee arrived, and by the time we had finished dinner it was obvious she couldn’t go anywhere”.

At first, his date was “mortified” by the enforced stay, he said.

“Marabee had only turned up with her purse and a lipstick, and she was so embarassed at being stuck in my house, wearing my jumpers and tracksuit bottoms for three days, without even a comb to put through her hair. But by the time the snow stopped, I think we both knew we were on to something special,” he said.

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