PREVIOUS CHILDREN OF THE MOTHER
Changes in ABS processing of data collected by state/territory Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages from 2007 have resulted in the availability of improved information on previous births to mothers.
Prior to 2007, ABS published information on previous births of the mother from the current relationship only, for all states and territories. From 2007, data on previous births for all relationships (both current and previous, if any) of the mother are collected for all states and territories, excluding Victoria and Queensland (see paragraphs 45 to 48 of the Explanatory Notes for more information). Data for 2009 are presented in table 2.7.
Of the states and territories that collect data on all children born to a mother, Western Australia recorded the highest proportion (46%) of first births to the mother (that is, no previous children), followed by the Australian Capital Territory (45%) and New South Wales and South Australia (both 43%).
For mothers who registered a birth in 2009, the Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest proportion (35%) of mothers who had had one child previously, while the Northern Territory recorded the highest proportion (29%) of mothers with two or more previous children.
2.7 Confinements, Previous children of the mother, State and territories - 2009 |
|
| Previous children of the mother(a) | |
| None | One | Two | Three | Four | Five or more | Not stated | Total confinements |
State or territory of registration | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. |
|
New South Wales | 39 063 | 30 193 | 13 193 | 4 745 | 1 803 | 914 | - | 89 911 |
Victoria | 32 043 | 24 064 | 9 973 | 3 107 | 973 | 660 | - | 70 820 |
Queensland | 33 272 | 20 033 | 7 710 | 2 429 | 769 | 611 | 5 | 64 829 |
South Australia | 8 397 | 6 504 | 2 917 | 923 | 400 | 309 | np | 19 452 |
Western Australia | 14 098 | 9 750 | 4 119 | 1 449 | 518 | 443 | - | 30 377 |
Tasmania(b) | 1 165 | 2 032 | 982 | 403 | 138 | 111 | 1 700 | 6 531 |
Northern Territory | 1 487 | 1 154 | 565 | 274 | 126 | 109 | - | 3 715 |
Australian Capital Territory | 2 524 | 1 974 | 746 | 237 | 76 | 48 | - | 5 605 |
|
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated |
(a) Includes all children born to a mother, for all states and territories excluding Victoria and Queensland. For Victoria and Queensland, includes previous children of the current relationship only. For further information see paragraph 46 of the Explanatory Notes. |
(b) Due to the high proportion of confinements in Tasmania for which no information on previous children of the mother was available, data for Tasmania should be interpreted with caution. |
Age of Mother
During 2009, 44% of confinements were to women who recorded having no previous children on the birth registration statement, excluding births registered in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania. In general, younger mothers are more likely to be giving birth to their first child, while older mothers are likely to already have at least one child.
Over one-third (35%) of mothers aged 45-49 years who registered a birth in 2009 recorded no previous children. This was a higher proportion of first births than mothers aged 35-39 years (28%) and 40-44 years (27%).
2.8 Confinements, Previous children of the mother by age of mother, Australia(a) - 2009 |
|
| Previous children of the mother | |
| None | One | Two | Three | Four | Five or more | Total confinements(b) |
Age of Mother | % | % | % | % | % | % | % |
|
15-19 years(c) | 85.8 | 12.8 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | - | 100.0 |
20-24 years | 59.2 | 29.3 | 8.8 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 100.0 |
25-29 years | 50.3 | 31.3 | 12.1 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 100.0 |
30-34 years | 38.2 | 36.9 | 16.0 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 100.0 |
35-39 years | 28.1 | 37.4 | 21.1 | 7.8 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 100.0 |
40-44 years | 26.7 | 33.0 | 20.2 | 9.3 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 100.0 |
45-49 years(d) | 35.1 | 20.9 | 17.6 | 11.1 | 6.1 | 9.1 | 100.0 |
Total(e) | 44.0 | 33.3 | 14.5 | 5.1 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 100.0 |
|
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
(a) Excludes Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania. For further information see paragraph 46 of the Explanatory Notes. |
(b) Includes births where previous children of the mother is not stated. |
(c) Includes births to mothers aged less than 15 years. |
(d) Includes births to mothers aged 50 years and older. |
(e) Includes births to mothers where age is not stated. |
Nuptiality
In 2009 (excluding births registered in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania), 41% of nuptial confinements, 50% of ex-nuptial paternity acknowledged confinements, and 62% of ex-nuptial paternity not acknowledged confinements were to mothers with no previous children.
This pattern is reversed for mothers having their second or third child. In 2009, 36% of nuptial confinements, 28% of ex-nuptial paternity acknowledged confinements, and 18% of ex-nuptial paternity not acknowledged confinements were to mothers with one previous child.
2.9 Confinements, Previous children of the mother(a)
, Nuptiality, Australia(b)
- 2009