Highlights

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Births and fertility continuing an upward trend

1. In 2007, a total of 367,864 births were registered in Canada, the largest number since 1995 (378,016).
2. Births continued an upward trend that began in 2002. From 2006 to 2007, the annual birth increase was 3.7%, the highest growth since 1989.
3. There was a noticeable increase in the total fertility rate, or the average number of children per woman, which rose from 1.59 in 2006 to 1.66 in 2007.
4. The recent increase in births could be explained partly by a rise in fertility rates, predominantly by women aged 30 to 34 and by the fact that many women from the echo generation had entered their childbearing years.
5. In 2007, 49% of total births were from mothers aged 30 to 44, which was 4% more births than in 2006.

Women postponing childbearing

1. The period between 1987 and 2007 saw an overall decline in the fertility rate of Canadian women in their twenties, while that of women in their thirties increased steadily.
2. In 2007, for a second consecutive year, the age-specific fertility rate of women aged 30 to 34 was higher than women aged 25 to 29, widening the gap between these two age groups.

Births are up in almost every part of Canada

1. From 2006 to 2007, the number of births rose in all provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island and Yukon.
2. In 2007, four provinces accounted for 83% of the total increase in births. Alberta was the largest contributor with almost 30% of the total increase, followed by Ontario (21%), Quebec (18%) and British Columbia (14%).

Stillbirths and stillbirth rate trends

1. The number of stillbirths (or fetal deaths) in Canada was 2,637 in 2007, an increase of 16% from 2006.
2. From 2006 to 2007, the stillbirth rate went up from 6.4 per 1,000 total births (live births and stillbirths) to 7.1.