Birth Statistics data for the third quarter of 2004 prepared by the EUSTAT give a figure of 5,006 births in the A.C. of the Basque Country, which represents a 3.8% increase in relation to the same period the previous year. By provinces, 721 babies were born in Álava, with a 10.4% increase; in Gipuzkoa, with 1,797 births, the growth rate came to 4.7%, and Bizkaia registered lower growth, 1.5%, with 2,488 births.

According to the order of birth, over half, 2,978, were first born in the third quarter of 2004; 1,719 children (34.3%) were born to families that already had a child and 6,2% were third born or more. Gipuzkoa (42.8%) was the only Province where the proportion of second born or more was higher than the average for the A.C. of the Basque Country, set at 40.5%.

In three out of every four births the mothers were aged over 30

In the distribution of births according to the age of the mother, there is still a clear predominance of the 30-34 years age group, who are responsible for 45% of births. This group is followed by the immediately higher 35-39 years age group, with 25.9%, surpassing the 25-29 years age group with 20.1%. As for the top and bottom age groups, the under 25 year olds represent 5.3%, while the over 40 year olds contribute 3.7% of births.

Births outside marriage represent 22.8% of the total, having increased by almost three percent in relation to the third quarter of 2003. Gipuzkoa, with 21.9%, was the only province with lower values than the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. The maternity age of this group is lower than the average age of all the women who gave birth, as 16.7% of unmarried mothers were aged between 14 and 24.