FERTILITY RATES


In 2014, Australia's total fertility rate (TFR) was 1.8 babies per woman, a decrease from the 2013 TFR of 1.88 babies per woman, continuing the declining trend of the past five years. Since 1976, the TFR for Australia has been below replacement level. That is, the average number of babies born to a woman throughout her reproductive lifetime (measured by the TFR) has been insufficient to replace herself and her partner. The TFR required for replacement is currently considered to be around 2.1 babies per woman. The TFR reached a low of 1.74 babies per woman in 2001 before increasing to a thirty-year high of 2.02 babies per woman in 2008.



Fertility rates increased slightly for women aged 45-49 years between 2013 and 2014, and decreased for all other age groups. Fertility rates remained highest for women aged 30-34 years, recording 120 babies per 1,000 women; a decrease from 125 babies per 1,000 women in the previous year. At the national level, the teenage fertility rate decreased between 2013 and 2014 with 13 babies per 1,000 women aged 15-19 years in 2014. For more information see data cube Table 1: Births, Summary, States and territories - 2004 to 2014, from the Downloads tab.