More Women Having First Child Later in Life

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more women are having their first child later in life. It is important for countries to monitor the average age of mothers at first birth because the information impacts many birth statistics including birth weight, multiple births, and defects to name a few. The mother’s age at first birth also impacts the total number of births that a woman might have in her life, which impacts the size, composition, and future growth of a population.

The study reveals that from the time period between 1970 and 2006, the average age of first-time mothers increased from 21.5 to 25.0 years old. While the average first age of birth increased, the proportion of first births to women 35 years and over increased nearly eight times.

In 2006, about 1 out of 12 first births were to women aged 35 years and over compared with 1 out of 100 in 1970. According to preliminary data, the proportion for 2007 was the same as in 2006. In 2006, only 21% of first births were to mothers under age 20, down from 36% in 1970.

In comparison to other countries, the average age at first birth in 2006 ranged from 25.0 years in the United States to 29.4 years in Switzerland and the average age at first birth has steadily increased among developed nations. While the United States was in the middle of this range with a 3.6-year increase between 1970 (21.4 years) and 2006 (25.0 years), it had the youngest average age at first birth during both time periods.

[Images Via: National Center For Health Statistics ]