The median age of women giving birth in Aotearoa New Zealand has reached 31.5 years in 2024, according to newly released Stats NZ data.
This is the oldest age since records began in 1962. In 2024, there were 58,341 registered live births, up from 56,955 (a 2.4% increase) in 2023. However, the total fertility rate remained steady at 1.56 for both 2023 and 2024.
The SMC asked experts to comment on these data.
Dr Moana Rarere, Te Ngira Institute for Population Research, University of Waikato, comments:
“What we are seeing in Aotearoa is a trend that has unfolded similarly in other developed countries – e.g., in South Korea, Japan, Italy and Spain, the median age of birth is around the same ballpark between 30-32 years.
“However, our birth rate of 1.5 is still slightly higher than many high-income economies. South Korea now has the lowest at 0.7 births per woman, while Japan, Italy, and Spain have birth rates of 1.2.
“Women are having children later in life and fewer children is the norm. Economic and socio-cultural shifts have increased educational and labour force opportunities for women, while contraception has enabled women or couples to make choices over when to have children and how many they have – or not at all.”
No conflicts of interest.