State of Maternity Services Report 2015

Northern Ireland
Live births
26000 26,000
25,000 25000
24,000 24000
23,000 23000
22,000 22000
21,000 21000
20,000 20000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
The number of babies born in Northern Ireland
has also been very stable in recent years, varying
between around 24,500 to 25,500 since 2007.
As happened in Scotland, last year saw a rise in
the number, compared to 2013.
11%
increase in births
since 2001
Number of
live births
Source: Northern
Ireland Statistics and
Research Agency
Note: As with the rest of
the report, this includes
only the number of live
births to usually resident
mothers. However, in large
part due to Northern
Ireland’s shared border
with the Republic of Ireland,
a significant number
of non-residents also give
birth in Northern Ireland,
increasing the pressure
on maternity services.
Age profile of mothers
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
% change in
number of live
births, 2001–2014
Source: Northern
Ireland Statistics and
Research Agency
under 20
20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45 and over
As elsewhere in the UK, Northern Ireland has also
seen a dramatic fall in the number of babies born to
women and girls aged below 20 – and for Northern
Ireland also for women in their early twenties.
Births to women in their thirties was up by 22 per
cent, or almost 2,200. And the share of all births
that were to women in their early forties doubled.
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