Press release 02/01/2012
70% of the rise in births in 2010 can be attributed to foreign mothers
The average age at which women give birth stands at 33.4 years of age for Spanish mothers and 29.1 years of age for foreign mothers
In 2010, the number of births in the Basque Country rose to 21,159, representing 1.1% more than the previous year, according to Eustat data. Amongst foreign mothers, there was an increase of 5%, whilst amongst Spanish mothers, the rise involved a little under 0.4%.
The strong downward tendency of births that began in 1976 took on a slower rhythm from the end of the 1980’s, with the birth rate reaching its lowest figure in 1994. From this point onwards, birth rates have risen timidly, although not without undulations, given that falls in the birth rate were registered in 1998 and 2009.
With regards to distribution by province, Álava, with 3346 births, registered the highest increase (3.8%) in comparison with the more modest increases of Bizkaia (0.6%) and Gipuzkoa (0.7%), with 10,598 and 7215 births, respectively.
The birth rate stands at 9.2 per thousand inhabitants, a long way from the 20 per thousand inhabitants registered in the 1960’s. The highest figures are found in Álava (10.4%) and Gipuzkoa (10.3%), compared to the lower rate found in Bizkaia (9.1%).
In 79% of the births in 2010 the mothers were aged 30 or over
The largest group was made up of women aged between 30 and 34 years old, who accounted for 42.5% of the total births. Births amongst mothers over the age of 35 continue to rise (36.3%), whilst we witness a fall in the births in the groups aged between 25 and 29 years of age (15.1%) and 20 to 24 years of age (4.9%). The 268 adolescent mothers represent 1.3% of overall live births.
16% of the mothers who gave birth in 2010 were of foreign nationality
If we consider the nationality of new mothers, 16% were of foreign nationality, who gave birth to 3356 babies. The most common countries of origin were as follows: Morocco (543 mothers), Romania (327), Colombia (289), Bolivia (273), Ecuador (167), Brazil (166), Algeria (155), China (129) and Paraguay (122).
Foreign mothers have children at an earlier age than Spanish mothers resident in the Basque Country. Indeed, 54% of these women give birth before the age of 30, in clear contrast to the 15% of mothers of Spanish nationality who have children before this age.
The average age of mothers was 32.7, which rises to 33.4 years of age amongst Spanish mothers and drops to 29.1 years of age in the case of foreign mothers.
The average age of first-time mothers was 31.7.
In 15 years births outside marriage have tripled
In 2010, births outside of marriage rose to 6934, a figure that represents an increase of 6.2% in comparison with 2009. These births represent 32.8% of total births. Álava and Gipuzkoa registered lower percentages than the average for the Basque Country as a whole, with 32.7% and 32.1%, respectively, whilst Bizkaia was the only province with relatively higher values (33.2%). If we compare the current percentage with the percentage registered in 1996 (10.5%), over the course of the last 15 years the proportion of births outside of marriage has tripled.
Taking the birth order into account, births in 2010 involving the first child accounted for 55.4%, those involving the second child, 36.5%, and those involving the third or subsequent child, 8.1%.
The number of births rose to 20,720, of which 20,212 involved a single child, 490 involved twins and 18, triplets.
Live births in 2010 entailed 105 boys for every 100 girls. The average weight of first-borns was 3316 grams and the average weight of second-born children was 3196 grams.
For further information:
Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Tel: +34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es
Contact: Martín González Hernández
Tel:+34-945-01 75 49 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01
Further press releases on BIRTH STATISTICS of the Basque Country
Database on BIRTH STATISTICS of the Basque Country