Changing fertility patterns, 1974 to 1994

From 1974 to 1994, the number of children Canadian women are likely to have during their lifetime decreased. This downturn in fertility meant that the annual number of live births rose only slightly during this period, even though it marked the prime childbearing years for the baby-boom generation. As they pursued higher education and employment in the paid workforce, women have postponed childbearing. Consequently, the average age of women giving birth has risen. More than a quarter of women over age 30 who have a baby are first-time mothers. And by starting families later in life, women tend to have fewer children. In addition, largely because of the growing number of common-law relationships, over a quarter of all births are to unmarried women. Using data provided by the provincial and territorial Vital Statistics Registries, this article examines national and provincial/territorial trends in births and fertility from 1974 to 1994.