More babies will be conceived today than any other day this year, according to new research.

National birth records show that September 16 is the most popular birthday in the UK.

And with the average gestation period for a baby being 40 weeks December 11, exactly 40 weeks prior to September 16, has been labeled as the most fertile day of the year.

December is also the most popular month for conceptions – 9% of babies are conceived then.

Scientists say that winter is a more fertile season than summer because sperm quality is higher in the cold.

People also have more sex in December than other winter months because of festive partying and end-of-year happiness.

Famous people born on September 16 include the actor Mickey Rourke and the singer Katie Melua.

The statistics were compiled by Lovehoney, Britain’s biggest online seller of sex toys, based on established scientific studies.

December 11th is the most fertile day of the year

Lovehoney co-founder Neal Slateford said they were expecting a huge boom in sales prior to December 11.

He said: “December is always one of our busiest month as couples treat each other at Christmas.

“Everyone is increasingly doing their Christmas shopping online – who wants to go out to the shops when it is pouring down and there are queues at the check-outs?

“So we are expecting a big surge ahead of December 11, the most fertile and sexiest day of the year, when I guess a lot of broody couples will be staying in and having a good time!”

Bath-based Lovehoney compiled the statistics as it celebrated record sales in 2012, thanks to Fifty Shades of Grey for which it has developed the official range of pleasure products.

Turn-over shot up by a third, driven by a record demand for toys such as the silver balls featured in the E.L. James trilogy.

10 OTHER BEDROOM FACTS

One in four men switches the light off during sex

200 calories are burned during 30 minutes of sex

Outside the bedroom, the most common place to have sex is the car

75% of men always climax when having penetrative sex compared to just 29% of women

Men have an average of 11 erections a day

100 million acts of sexual intercourse happen in the world every day

We kiss on average for 20,160 minutes in our lives (that is, 336 hours, 14 days or two weeks)

Couples are 17 times more likely to have sex at midnight than at 10am

A peck on the cheek uses 2 facial muscles, a passionate snog uses all 34

The older you get the shorter your orgasm will be