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Female fertility
 
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Office for National Statistics News Release.

For the first time women in early 30s have higher fertility rates than women in late 20s

In 2004, for the first time, the fertility rate of women aged 30-34 overtook that of women aged 25-29, according to a detailed analysis of birth statistics* published today by the Office for National Statistics.

Although fertility rates increased in all age groups the trend towards later childbearing has continued.

The fertility rate among women aged 30-34 was 99.4 live births per thousand women, an increase of 4.9 per cent on 2003, and the highest fertility rate in any age group since 1998.

Other statistics from the annual report include

There were 639,721 live births in England and Wales in 2004, an increase of 2.9 per cent compared with 2003, and the highest number of births since 1997.

·     The total fertility rate (TFR - see Background Note 5) for England and Wales was 1.78 in 2004, an increase from 1.73 in 2003.

·     The average (mean) age of women giving birth remained at 29.4 years, while the average age for women at first birth increased to 27.5 years.

·     The percentage of births outside marriage continued to rise. In 2004, 42.2 per cent of births were outside marriage, up from 41.4 in 2003.

·     Nearly 20 per cent of births in England and Wales in 2004 were to mothers born outside the UK . In 1994 this proportion was 12.4 per cent.

·     There was a small increase in the multiple maternity rate to 14.9 per 1,000 all maternities in 2004. The likelihood of women having multiple births was higher at every age in 2004 than 10 years previously. Women aged 40 and over experienced the highest multiple maternity rate (21.6 per 1,000 all maternities).

·     All Government Office Regions in England experienced an increase in the TFR in 2004. The largest increase was in the North West (4.6 per cent), the lowest was in the South West (2.3 per cent).

*Birth Statistics 2004

Series FM1 no.33

Available free on the National Statistics website: www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=5768

Please find below a link to the news release on the National Statistics website titled 'For the first time women in early 30s have higher fertility rates than women in late 20s'

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/birthstats1205.pdf

BACKGROUND NOTES

1.    The Annual Update summarising recent trends in live births in 2004 is contained in Population Trends 122 (Winter 2005) published on 15 December 2005.

2.    The Report on births in England and Wales in 2004 appeared in Population Trends 120 published in Summer 2005.

3.    The population estimates used to calculate the fertility rates in this release were the most up-to-date at the time of publication. The estimates are based on the 2001 Census. Population estimates for mid-2000 were published on 25 August 2005 . More information on population estimates can be found on the National Statistics website:

www.statistics.gov.uk/popest

4.    The mean ages presented in this release are not standardised and therefore take no account of the age structure of the population.

5.    The total fertility rate is the sum of the age-specific fertility rates expressed per woman. It may be interpreted as the number of children that would be born to a woman if the current age-specific patterns of fertility persisted throughout her childbearing life. It can be used to examine changes in fertility over time and between populations by removing the effect of different age distributions.

6.    Figures for multiple maternities include maternities where one or more of the babies were stillborn.

7.    Conception statistics for 2003 are published today as a separate supplement. See: www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=5768

8.    Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available from the press office.

9.    National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political influence.  Crown copyright 2005.

(5/1/06)

 

 

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