Live births lowest since 1983

Wednesday 22 September 2021

The number of live births in Jersey hit its lowest point since 1983 last year, with 869 across the population.

Published this week, a new Government report detailed how fertility rates have dropped by a quarter since 2012, with around 250 fewer babies being born in 2020.

The report outlines how the general fertility rate - which is measured as the number of live births in a year per 1,000 women in the population who are aged 15 to 44 years - showed there were 42 births for every 1,000 women of childbearing age in Jersey.

Pictured: The report said the average age of mothers was 32.6 years in 2020.

This decrease was also reflected in the crude birth rate - the number of live births in a year per 1,000 resident population - which was at its lowest since at least 1950.

This was also seen in the total fertility rate from 2018 to 2020, which was at its lowest since 2001-2003.

However, turning to the question of whether birth rates have been impacted by the pandemic, the report states that any trends are only likely to be observed "from 2021 onwards".

The report continues: "For 2020, apart from November which was lower, the number of births per month was similar to respective months in the previous two years."

The mean average of mothers' ages was 32.6 years in 2020, around two years older than the age measured for women in England and Wales.

Additionally, one in three mothers were aged 35 years and over at delivery, a marked increase from the one in four measured in 2001.

In contrast, the proportion of women aged 20 to 29 years giving birth in Jersey has declined from 34% in 2000-2002 to 27% in 2018-2020.

Pictured: The General Hospital's maternity unit is due a refit over the next year.

The report also measures how caesarian sections now make up over a third of deliveries on the island, going up from 27% in 2000-02 to 37% in 2018-2020.

This is a significantly higher proportion than in England, where 30.1% of births between 2019-2020 were delivered as a caesarian section - a trend the Health Department is keeping an eye on.

It also details there were 10 infant deaths (under one year of age) registered in Jersey during the three-year period from 2018 to 2020.

The statistics come following the announcement last month that Jersey's maternity facilities were getting a £6.5m refit, including the building of a larger Special Care Baby Unit, and three consultant led birthing rooms with en-suite facilities.