Irish birth rates highest in the EU

Ireland has the highest birthrate of any of the other 27 EU countries. The Economic and Social Research Unit (ESRI) found that in 2008 Ireland has 17 babies per 1,000 people.

The National Perinatal Reporting System (NPRS) showed that there were 75,587 births in 2008 which represents an increase of fiver percent over 2007 and 2008.

The reports also show that the average age of the mother, breast feeding rates and Caesarean section rates also went up during this period.

More than 44 percent of the babies were breastfed after being released from hospital. This is in comparison to 41 percent in 2003 and 36 percent in 1999. Also in 1999 the average age of the mothers was 30.1 years in 2008 this had risen to 31.1. Almost 26 percent of women had C-sections.

The number of home births went down from 186 in 2007 to 158 in 2008. Thankfully the mortality rate in newborns also went down.