By Kate Whiting

The credit crunch has been blamed for a lot of things - repossessions, redundancies and the demise of Woolworths in the UK - but in recent weeks it has also hit the headlines for reigniting our sex lives.

Sales of condoms have shot up, as have sales of sex toys and 'sexual enhancers', according to Superdrug, who have seen a 60 percent increase in lubricants slipping off the shelves compared to this time last year. It seems that more and more couples are opting for a steamy night in rather than splashing their cash on a night on the tiles and some experts are predicting a baby boom next year as a result.

"We've seen a phenomenal rise in the sales of products designed to enhance sexual pleasures and a rise in the sales of condoms compared to this time last year," says Melanie Wilson, Superdrug's healthcare buyer.

'It's another mouth to feed'

"Over the past four weeks we have also seen sales of pregnancy testing kits rise every week - so we'll expect to see sales of nappies rocket next summer."

A recent survey by YouGov named sex as the nation's favourite free activity ahead of window shopping and gossipping, but as with some other trends, we've seen it all before.

Research shows that economic slumps in the past, including during the 70s and the early 90s, caused the birth rate to rise, so could we be set for another baby boom?

"No," says Netmums co-founder Siobhan Freegard.

"We tend to have mums on our website who are already pregnant and already have children, and from their point of view, I would say the credit crunch is probably having the opposite effect in that we're finding mums who would like to have a child are actually holding off and saying 'I'm really worried about my husband's job' or 'it's another mouth to feed'.

"Also, people who had hoped to have another baby and move house, for more room, are not able to do that, so they're actually holding back and saying 'we're going to wait and see how things pan out'."

While sales of Durex condoms increased by 10 percent in the six months to September, it could well be that people are taking more care with contraception rather than actually having more sex.

"Funnily enough, I saw something on our forums about mums being extra careful with contraception because they can't afford any mistakes," Freegard says.

Regardless of whether there will be a baby boom, it certainly seems the nation's sex life is having a healthy surge. That's no bad thing, says relationship expert Paula Hall.

"I've seen the statistics saying condom sales have increased, so unless they're all being used as water balloons, it seems couples are having more sex," she says.

"Certainly I've seen a number of couples who can't afford to go out and do the things they do normally and they're deciding they need to find cheaper forms of entertainment.

Staying at home and enjoying themselves sexually is certainly something I'd recommend to help their relationship." - Belfast Telegraph

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