Summarised by Centrist
The median age of women giving birth in New Zealand reached 31.5 years in 2024, the highest since records began in 1962, according to Stats NZ. In 1972, the median age was 24.8, rising to 28.5 by 1994. This shift aligns with Census data showing more women are having fewer children.
Among women aged 50–54, the proportion who have never had children increased from 15% in 2013 to 17% in 2023. The share of women in this group with three or more children declined from 37% to 31%. Meanwhile, 44% of women aged 30–34 had never given birth in 2023, up from 36% in 2013.
In 2024, 58,341 live births were registered, a 2.4% rise from 2023. However, the total fertility rate remained at 1.56. Deaths for the year (37,722) were similar to 2023 but lower than in 2022.
The infant mortality rate in 2024 was 4.3 per 1,000 live births, slightly higher than the average of 4.1 between 2019 and 2023 when adjusted for late registrations.
