During the first quarter of 2004, figures for Birth Statistics, devised by EUSTAT, gave the number of births in the A.C. of the Basque Country as 4,554, similar to that obtained in the same period of the previous year. By province, 636 children were born in Álava, a growth of 7% and in Bizkaia, with 2,350 births, the percentage of growth came to 1%. On the other hand, Gipuzkoa decreased by a proportion of 3%, with 1,568 births.

As regards the order of birth during the first quarter of 2004, over half, 2,562 children were first-born; 1,713 children (37.6%) were born in to families where there was already one child and there was a percentage of 6.1% of children who were the third or subsequent child. Bizkaia (42.8%) was the only Province where the proportion of second or subsequent children was less than the average for the A.C. of the Basque Country, given as 43.7%.

As for the distribution of births according to the age of the mother, the predominant group continued to be that of mothers aged 30-34, which accounted for almost half the births. This group was followed by the neighbouring age bracket of 35-39, with 26.8%, surpassing the group of mothers aged 25-29, who accounted for 18.1%. In the age brackets at either end of the scale, under-25s accounted for 5.5%, while those aged over 40 contributed a mere 3.4% of births.

A rise in the number of single mothers

Children born outside of matrimony accounted for 20.3% of the total, having risen half a point in relation to the first quarter of 2003. Bizkaia, with 21.1%, was the only province where the figures were higher than the A.C. of the Basque Country as a whole. The maternity age for this group of women was lower than the overall figure for women with children, since 17.4% of unmarried mothers were under 25.