Birth; key figures, 1950-2022
Changed on: 16 August 2023
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Birth; key figures, 1950-2022
CONTENTS 1. General information 2. Definitions and explanation of symbols 3. Links to relevant tables and articles 4. Sources and methods 5. Further information 1. GENERAL INFORMATION Key figures on fertility, live and stillborn children and multiple births among inhabitants of The Netherlands. Available selections: - Live born children by sex; - Live born children by age of the mother (31 December), in groups; - Live born children by birth order from the mother; - Live born children by marital status of the mother; - Live born children by migration background of the mother; - Stillborn children by duration of pregnancy; - Births: single and multiple; - Average number of children per female; - Average number of children per male; - Average age of the mother at childbirth by birth order from the mother; - Average age of the father at childbirth by birth order from the mother. CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin. Data available from: 1950 Most of the data is available as of 1950 with the exception of the live born children by migration background of the mother (from 1996), stillborn children by duration of pregnancy (24+) (from 1991), average number of children per male (from 1996) and the average age of the father at childbirth (from 1996). Status of the figures: All data recorded in this publication are final data. Changes per 6 November 2023: None, this table was discontinued. When will new figures be published? No longer applicable. This table is succeeded by the table 'Births; key figures'. See section 3. 2. DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS Definitions: Age on 31 December The number of whole years that have passed between someone's date of birth and 31 December of the reference year, calculated as the reference year minus the year of birth. Average age The arithmetic mean of all ages. Ages of unknown fathers are estimates. Age mother (father) The number of whole years that have passed between the mother's (father's) date of birth and 31 December of the year of birth of her (his) child. Ages of unknown fathers are estimates. Average number of children per (fe)male The sum of the individual age specific fertility rates. This figure can be interpreted as the average number of children a woman (man) would have if the age-specific fertility rates in a given year were to apply throughout her (his) life. Birth order from the mother The position of the child in the ranking of live born children from a mother. Fertility Term used in demography to indicate the actual reproduction by individuals, couples or the population in general. Lesbian parenthood The law on lesbian parenthood came into effect on 1 April 2014. From April 2014 onwards the female partner of the biological mother may become the legal parent of the child without a legal adoption procedure. The same data for both mothers are available in the municipal population register. Statistics Netherlands does not have information about which of the mothers is the biological mother. To obtain data about, for example, the age, number of children and ethnic background of the mother, Statistics Netherlands selects one of the mothers at random. Lesbian parenthood occurs in less than 0.2% of all births. Live born child A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy. Marital status Legal status involving someone's rights and competences as determined by legal marriage and registered partnership. Inhabitant Someone belonging to the population living in The Netherlands. In the population statistics compiled by Statistics Netherlands the inhabitants of a given area are the people registered in the population register, whose address is located in that area. Stillborn child Baby born after a pregnancy lasting at least 24 weeks (prior to 1 July 1991 this was 28 weeks) who showed no sign of life after birth such as breathing, activity of the heart or muscles. Explanation of symbols: Empty cell : figure not applicable . : figure is unknown, insufficiently reliable or confidential * : provisional figure ** : revised provisional figure 3. LINKS TO RELEVANT TABLES AND ARTICLES For additional information on Birth the reader is referred to the Dutch tables. Births; key figures Levend geboren kinderen; leeftijd moeder, volgorde geboorte uit de moeder (only in Dutch). General information on population statistics is available at the themepage Population. 4. SOURCES AND METHODS Break in series population by marital status From 2010 onwards a small shift has occurred between a number of marital statuses (fewer never married and more divorced and widowed respectively). Break in series of late reports From 2010 onwards more late reports received in the year of publication will be included in the figures for the year under review. For a description of late reports and their consequences for figures in the table, see the survey description Bevolkingsstatistiek. Only in Dutch. Population Observations are based on information supplied to Statistics Netherlands by the municipal population registers. Accuracy and reliability In a limited number of cases the data received by Statistics Netherlands are incomplete. In such cases the missing data are estimated. Used external sources The figures are based on information as reported to Statistics Netherlands by the municipal population registrations. 5. FURTHER INFORMATION Infoservice Copyright (c) Statistics Netherlands, The Hague/Heerlen Reproduction is permitted, provided Statistics Netherlands is quoted as the source.
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Topics
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Live born children
Live born child: A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy. Lesbian parenthood: The law on lesbian parenthood came into effect on 1 April 2014. From April 2014 onwards the female partner of the biological mother may become the legal parent of the child without a legal adoption procedure. The same data for both mothers are available in the municipal population register. Statistics Netherlands does not have information about which of the mothers is the biological mother. To obtain data about, for example, the age, number of children and ethnic background of the mother, Statistics Netherlands selects one of the mothers at random. Lesbian parenthood occurs in less than 0.2% of all births.
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Total live born children
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Crude birth rate
Live born children per thousand of the average number of inhabitants.
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Stillborn children by duration of pre...
Stillborn children by duration of pregnancy. Stillborn child: Baby born after a pregnancy lasting at least 24 weeks (prior to 1 July 1991 this was 28 weeks) who showed no sign of life after birth such as breathing, activity of the heart or muscles. Lesbian parenthood: The law on lesbian parenthood came into effect on 1 April 2014. From April 2014 onwards the female partner of the biological mother may become the legal parent of the child without a legal adoption procedure. The same data for both mothers are available in the municipal population register. Statistics Netherlands does not have information about which of the mothers is the biological mother. To obtain data about, for example, the age, number of children and ethnic background of the mother, Statistics Netherlands selects one of the mothers at random. Lesbian parenthood occurs in less than 0.2% of all births.
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Stillborn children (24+)
Stillborn children after a pregnancy of at least 24 weeks. Available from 1991.
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Stillborn children (28+)
Stillborn children after a pregnancy of at least 28 weeks.
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Confinements: single and multiple
Deliveries after a pregnancy lasting at least 28 weeks irrespective of viability of child. Lesbian parenthood: The law on lesbian parenthood came into effect on 1 April 2014. From April 2014 onwards the female partner of the biological mother may become the legal parent of the child without a legal adoption procedure. The same data for both mothers are available in the municipal population register. Statistics Netherlands does not have information about which of the mothers is the biological mother. To obtain data about, for example, the age, number of children and ethnic background of the mother, Statistics Netherlands selects one of the mothers at random. Lesbian parenthood occurs in less than 0.2% of all births.
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Single confinements
Deliveries of one child.
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Multiple confinements
Deliveries of two or more children out of the same pregnancy.
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Total multiple confinements
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Average age of the mother
Average age of the mother at childbirth. Average age: The arithmetic mean of all ages. Age mother: The number of whole years that have passed between the mother's date of birth and 31 December of the year of birth of her child.
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At 1st birth
Average age of the mother at childbirth, first live born children from the mother. Live born child: A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
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Average age of the father
Average age of the father at childbirth. Available from 1996. Average age: The arithmetic mean of all ages. Ages of unknown fathers are estimates. Age father: The number of whole years that have passed between the father's date of birth and 31 December of the year of birth of his child. Ages of unknown fathers are estimates.
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At 1st birth from the mother
Average age of the father at childbirth for all live born first children from the mother. Live born child: A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
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Periods
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1950
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1960
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1970
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1980
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1990
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2000
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2010
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2020
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2022
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Show options
Topic
Live born childrenTotal live born children
Total live born children
Live born childrenCrude birth rate
Crude birth rate
Stillborn children by duration of pre...Stillborn children (24+)
Stillborn children (24+)
Stillborn children by duration of pre...Stillborn children (28+)
Stillborn children (28+)
Confinements: single and multipleSingle confinements
Single confinements
Confinements: single and multipleMultiple confinementsTotal multiple confinements
Multiple confinements
Total multiple confinements
Average age of the motherAt 1st birth
At 1st birth
Average age of the fatherAt 1st birth from the mother
At 1st birth from the mother
Horizontal axis
Years
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Period
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| 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2022 | ||
Live born children Total live born children | number | 229,718 | 239,128 | 238,912 | 181,294 | 197,965 | 206,619 | 184,397 | 168,681 | 167,504 | |
Crude birth rate | per 1,000 inhabitants | 22.7 | 20.8 | 18.3 | 12.8 | 13.2 | 13.0 | 11.1 | 9.7 | 9.5 | |
Stillborn children by duration of pre... Stillborn children (24+) | number | . | . | . | . | . | 1,253 | 648 | 476 | 458 | |
Stillborn children (28+) | number | 4,511 | 3,618 | 2,588 | 1,205 | 1,139 | 1,000 | 490 | 360 | 364 | |
Confinements: single and multiple Single confinements | number | 228,383 | 236,763 | 236,716 | 178,565 | 193,363 | 200,172 | 178,819 | 163,910 | 162,878 | |
Multiple confinements Total multiple confinements | number | 2,908 | 2,978 | 2,383 | 1,952 | 2,808 | 3,718 | 3,018 | 2,556 | 2,487 | |
Average age of the mother At 1st birth | year | 26.4 | 25.6 | 24.3 | 25.6 | 27.5 | 29.1 | 29.4 | 30.1 | 30.3 | |
Average age of the father At 1st birth from the mother | year | . | . | . | . | . | 32.0 | 32.4 | 32.9 | 32.8 | |
Source: CBS