Pride, parties and now World Cup babies for Germany

By Madeline Chambers

BERLIN, Feb 21 (Reuters Life!) - German hospitals are braced for a surge in births nine months after the host country of soccer's World Cup 2006 enjoyed an uncharacteristic wave of feel-good patriotism and parties, doctors say.

In a country worried about low birth rates, booming demand for pre-natal classes alerted Rolf Kliche, head of the Dr Koch clinic in the northern city of Kassel, to the phenomenon.

"We are looking at a 10 to 15 percent jump in births in early March which goes back to the World Cup," he told Reuters.

The party mood which gripped much of the nation between June 9 and July 9 last year helped couples who had struggled for years to conceive as well as leading to productive new liaisons.

"Biological factors are related to people being relaxed and in a good mood which explains the phenomenon," Kliche said.

His clinic delivered its first "World Cup Baby" on February 11. Pia Schmidt said her daughter Farina, born five weeks early, was conceived after Germany's 1:0 victory against Poland.

"I remember it perfectly. There was a great atmosphere, we had friends over and later the celebrations continued in the bedroom," Schmidt, 27, told Reuters from her hospital bed.

"We had wanted a child for some time and the midwife said the positive vibes during the World Cup released my hormones."