While the total fertility rate was 2.38 children in 2001, it was realized as 1.51 children in 2023, indicating that fertility remained below the population replacement level of 2.1.
Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced birth statistics for 2023.
Accordingly, the number of live-born babies in 2023 was recorded as 958 thousand 408. Last year, 51.3 percent of live-born babies were boys and 48.7 percent were girls.
The “total fertility rate”, which refers to the average number of children a woman can have during her fertile period (15-49 age group), was 2.38 children in 2001 and 1.51 children in 2023. This showed that fertility remained below the population replacement level of 2.1.
The highest total fertility rate was recorded in Şanlıurfa with 3.27 children
Accordingly, the highest total fertility rate was recorded in Şanlıurfa with 3.27 children last year. This province was followed by Şırnak with 2.72 children and Mardin with 2.4 children. The province with the lowest total fertility rate was Bartın with 1.13 children. This province was followed by Zonguldak and Karabük with 1.14 children and Kütahya with 1.16 children.
The average of total fertility rate in European Union (EU) member countries was recorded as 1.46 children in 2022. When the total fertility rates of 27 EU member countries were analyzed, it was seen that the country with the highest total fertility rate in 2022 was France with 1.79 children and the country with the lowest total fertility rate was Malta with 1.08 children.
Turkey, with a total fertility rate of 1.63 per thousand in 2022, ranked 5th among EU member states.
Crude birth rate was 11.2 per thousand
The crude birth rate, which expresses the number of live births per thousand population, was 20.3 per thousand in 2001 and 11.2 per thousand in 2023. Accordingly, there were 20.3 births per thousand population in 2001 and 11.2 births in 2023.
The province with the highest crude birth rate was Şanlıurfa with 24.8 per thousand last year. This province was followed by Şırnak with 22 per thousand and Mardin with 19.3 per thousand.
The province with the lowest crude birth rate was Zonguldak with 6.9 per thousand. This province was followed by Bartın with 7.2 per thousand and Karabük with 7.6 per thousand.
It was observed that Turkey’s crude birth rate was higher than the crude birth rates of 27 EU member states. When the crude birth rates of 27 EU member countries were analyzed, it was recorded that the country with the highest crude birth rate in 2022 was Greek Administration of Southern Cyprus with 11.2 per thousand, while the country with the lowest crude birth rate was Italy with 6.7 per thousand.
The age group with the highest age-specific fertility rate is 25-29
Age-specific fertility rate, which expresses the average number of live-born children per thousand women in a certain age group, was highest in the 20-24 age group with 144 per thousand in 2001 and in the 25-29 age group with 101 per thousand in 2023. This situation showed that fertility occurs at older ages of women.
Adolescent fertility rate, which expresses the average number of live born children per thousand women in the 15-19 age group, decreased from 49 per thousand in 2001 to 11 per thousand in 2023. Accordingly, there were 11 births per thousand women in the 15-19 age group last year.
Among the 27 EU member states, the country with the highest adolescent fertility rate in 2022 was Bulgaria with 37 per thousand and the country with the lowest adolescent fertility rate was Denmark with 1 per thousand. Turkey, with an adolescent fertility rate of 12 per thousand in 2022, was above the EU average with 7 EU member states.
Average age of mothers giving birth was 29.2 years
While the average age of mothers who gave birth in 2001 was 26.7, it was 29.2 in 2023. The average age of mothers who gave their first birth last year was 27.
When the average age of mothers at first birth was analyzed by provinces, the provinces with the highest average age at first birth in 2023 were Artvin and Tunceli with 29, followed by Istanbul with 28.6, Trabzon and Rize with 28.4.
The provinces with the lowest average maternal age at first birth were Muş and Ağrı with 24.2. These provinces were followed by Şanlıurfa with 24.4 years and Gaziantep with 24.8 years.
3.3 percent of births were multiple births
While 3.3 percent of births were multiple births in 2023, 95.6 percent of these were twins, 4.2 percent triplets and 0.2 percent quadruplets and more.
When births were analyzed by order, it was seen that 40.6 percent of births were first, 30.4 percent were second, 16.5 percent were third, and 11.9 percent were fourth or more births in 2023.
Source: AA
