(Image:Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of infants born to mothers in their 40s has significantly increased compared to a decade ago, data showed Monday, indicating the growing prevalence of older-age childbirth in the present era characterized by low birth rates.
According to data received by Rep. Shin Hyun-young of the Democratic Party from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the total number of babies born in South Korea in 2022 was 244,580, marking a decline of 42.4 percent compared to ten years prior.
Looking at the breakdown by age group, deliveries by women in their 40s experienced a notable increase of 43.3 percent during this period, rising from 13,697 to 19,636.
Consequently, their proportion of total deliveries also rose by 4.8 percentage points, reaching 8 percent.
Meanwhile, deliveries by women in their 20s witnessed a sharp decline of 63.5 percent to 38,685, resulting in their share of the total falling by 9.1 percentage points to 15.8 percent.
Deliveries by women in their 30s fell by 38.6 percent to 185,945, but their proportion of total deliveries increased by 4.6 percentage points, accounting for 76 percent.
Last year, the country’s total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime, hit another record low of 0.78, much lower than the replacement level of 2.1 that would keep South Korea’s population stable at 51.5 million.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
