Birth rates highest in EU

IRELAND had the highest birth rate of any of the 27 EU countries in 2008, at 17.0 per 1,000 population, according to statistics released by the Economic and Social Research Unit (ESRI).

These latest results from the National Perinatal Reporting System (NPRS) on pregnancy outcomes reveal that 75,587 births were notified to the NPRS in 2008, representing an increase of 5% in births between 2007 and 2008.

The research shows that the average age of women giving birth, breast feeding rates and Caesarean section rates are also on the rise.