A participant holds a statue of the virgin Mary during a pro-European integration rally at Independence Square in Kiev December 15, 2013.

According to a new study, many American women reported having 'virgin births'.

The study covered 7,870 women and 0.5 per cent of them claimed that they were virgins, yet gave birth to a child without using any reproductive technology. The University of North Carolina statisticians at Chapel Hill thought that it had been an analytical mistake on their part while they tracked sexual development toward adulthood. However, it was not.

The lead author of the study, Amy Herring, said that many of the virgin pregnancy claims turned out to be pretty consistent over the years. The study was published on the British Medical Journal in its Christmas edition. Prof Herring also said that the claims of virgin pregnancy happened to be consistent with their notions regarding the value of virginity. Prof Herring, a professor of biostatistics in Gillings School of Global Public Health, said that the women had claimed that they were virgins. At the same time, they said that they had been pregnant as well.

The study further reveals that these 'pregnant virgins' are more likely to take chastity pledges than non-virgin pregnant women. The average age of these 'pregnant virgins' is 19. Since it is more likely for religious people to sign chastity pledges, Prof Herring finds a connection between the virginity claims and the high regard of virginity in a lifestyle.

When it comes to parents and their responsibilities of informing their daughters regarding sex as well as birth control, the parents of the 'virgins' are more likely to cite reasons that they had not been aware enough about such things. They are also more likely to claim that they were not comfortable discussing sex with their daughter, the study finds.

Prof Herring, nevertheless, finds it hard to find any credibility of the women's claim that they are in the same league as the Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ while she was a virgin. She finds it 'highly unlikely'. The idea of a 'miraculous birth' is not what she wants to believe in. according to her, it is more likely that these women do not want people to know that had sexual intercourse.