In 2004 the largest age group of mother giving birth was the 20-24 group with 11,596 or 27.3% of the live births. Next were the 25-29 and 15-19 groups with 9,407 (22.1%) and 7,956 (18.7%) respectively. A similar trend was observed in the previous year with the same group contributions as follows: 20-24 with 11,954 (27.5%), 25-29 with 9,362 (21.6%) and 15-19 with 8,110 (18.7%).

As expected and as has been the past trend, the contribution from each live birth order decreases as the birth order increases. So the largest group overall would be the first born, then second born, third born and continuing in the same pattern as live birth order increases. Consequently, the two largest individual cohorts belong to the first born group for mother being in the 15-19 and 20-24 age groups with 6,456 and 5,078 respectively. Previously these groups also led with 6,430 and 4,949 respectively.

Of interest in the current year were occurrences of a mother in the 15-19 age group having her third child, one in the 35-39 group having her thirteenth child, another three in the 45-49 group each having their thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth child respectively and finally one mother from the 50 and over group having her fifth child.

(Table 9)

When the live birth order by parish of occurrence pattern is examined, it is observed that for each parish, except one, the largest group of mothers comes from the 20-24 group. As has been the case for the past several years, St. Andrew is the only parish to depart from this trend as its largest age group is the 25-29 group. This is an interesting phenomenon which occurs each year. A possible reason for it could be that a significant portion of the mothers who give birth in institutions in St. Andrew come from more affluent sections of the populace and delay having children until later years when compared to other parishes.

(Table 9a)

Looking at Table 9b, however, it is observed that for all parishes of residence of mothers, the largest group belongs to the 20-24 group. Thus a more accurate pattern is shown with mother’s parish of residence data with regard to age group patterns of mothers giving birth in the year.  The parishes with the largest percentages for the 20-24 age group were Westmoreland with 30.7% and St. Thomas with 29.6%.

(Table 9b)

TABLE 9: LIVE BIRTHS OCCURRING IN 2004 BY AGE OF MOTHER AND LIVE BIRTH ORDER

TABLE 9a: LIVE BIRTHS OCCURRING IN 2004 BY AGE OF MOTHER AND PARISH OF OCCURRENCE

TABLE 9b: LIVE BIRTHS OCCURRING IN 2004 BY AGE OF MOTHER AND BY PARISH OF RESIDENCE OF MOTHER