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A record number of babies were born in Australia during the pandemic, new data has confirmed.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows 315,705 babies were born while many were going in and out of lockdown in 2021, which is an increase of 20,000 babies (6.7 per cent) from 2020.
AIHW spokesperson Deanna Eldridge said the birth rate was 61 births per 1000 women of reproductive age in 2021, which was up from 56 births per 1000 women in 2020.
She said it was lower than the most recent peak in 2007, which was 66 births per 1000 women.
The average age for first time mothers also continues to rise, with one in four woman giving birth at age 35 or older.
“Average maternal age continues to increase for first-time mothers from 28.4 years in 2011 to 29.7 years in 2021,” she said.
The data shows despite higher risks of health complications associated with later-in-life pregnancies most mothers aged 35 years and above and their babies do well.
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Eldridge said they were seeing a downward trend in women who smoke while pregnant.
“In 2021, 8.7 per cent of mothers reported smoking during their pregnancy – down from 13 per cent in 2011,” she said.
“More than one in five mothers who smoked at the start of their pregnancy quit after the first 20 weeks.”
The data found mothers younger than 20 were more likely to smoke (33 per cent).
The institute also found older mothers were more likely to attend antenatal visit in the first trimester (81 per cent) compared with those aged 20 years and under (68 per cent).
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