According to Statistics New Zealand, fertility rates throughout New Zealand and the world at large are dropping: 2.1 births on average (per woman) are required to sustain theoretical population replacement levels. As of 2010, approximately 48% of the world population live in countries with nations with rates below this. In 2015, New Zealand’s total fertility rate was 1.99 births per woman. New Zealand European and Asian women have lower fertility rates than Maori and Pacifica women.
The number of women deciding to delay having children is on the rise, which in turn has a depressive effect on the total number of children a woman may be expected to give birth to. This delay may result in women reaching the point when it is biologically too late or too dangerous to have children (see ‘Information on Fertility’).
There are also an increasing number of women who do not have children, either by choice or as a consequence of delaying having children (see above). In 1981, the proportion of women aged 40-44 who did not have children was 9%. By 2006, this had risen to 15%.
Quick facts:
- Number of births
In the year to December 2015, 61,038 live births were registered; 3,796 more births than the December 2014 year. - Median age of mothers
The median age of first-time mothers is approximately 28 years of age (this is a pregnancy resulting in either live or stillborn children). - Fertility rate by age
In 2015, women aged 30-34 had the highest fertility rate (125 births per 1000 women). - Mean age of medical school graduates entering the workforce
25 years of age.