One in ten first-time mums is now over 35
17 December 2001
An increasing number of Australian women are postponing having their first baby until later in life, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
According to the report entitled Australia's Mothers and Babies 1999, the proportion of women having their first baby at 35 years or over has doubled in the past decade:
- In 1991, one in 20 first-time mothers was at least 35.
- In 1999 one in 10 first-time mothers was 35 or over.
The proportion of births to over-35 mothers has increased from 11 per cent in 1991 to 16 per cent in 1999.
Caesareans
Professor Richard Henry, Head of the School of Women's and Children's Health at the University of New South Wales, said that these findings were consistent with other recent trends, including a higher proportion of births by caesarean section.
'Caesarean rates are higher among older mothers, those having their first baby, and private patients,' Professor Henry said.
Older mothers
- Almost one in 3 older mothers had a caesarean section compared with about 1 in 5 younger mothers.
- Almost a third of older mothers were first-time mothers.
- A greater proportion of mothers aged 35 and over had low birthweight babies, or pre-term babies.
- After teenage mothers, mothers over 35 had the highest rate of stillbirths in 1999 (8.3 per 1000 births).
Other findings from 1999 figures
- Average age of all mothers in 1999 was 29 years.
- Average age of having a first baby in 1999 was 27.1 years.
- Teenage mothers accounted for 5 per cent of all mothers.
- Of 12,983 teenage mothers, 4115 were 17 or younger.
- Teenage mothers made up a higher proportion of indigenous mothers (22 per cent) than non-indigenous.
- The proportion of mothers staying in hospital less than 2 days was 11.6 per cent in 1999 compared with 3.2 per cent in 1991.
- Multiple pregnancies, such as twins, accounted for 1.6 per cent of all confinements.
Last Reviewed: 18 December 2001
