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THERE
are around three Filipinos born every minute, according
to the latest data released by the National Statistics
Office (NSO) on Thursday.
Live
births in 2004 numbered 1,710,994, which translated to
4,675 babies born each day, or 195 births an hour, or
three babies born every minute.
The
crude birth rate (CBR) for 2004 was at 20.7 live births
per 1,000 midyear population, slightly higher than the
2003 CBR of 20.6 live births.
More
males, around 890,130, or 52 percent, than females,
around 820,864, or 48 percent, were born. This resulted
in a sex ratio of 108 males per 100 females.
The NSO
data showed that the Cordillera Administrative Region
(CAR) had the highest sex ratio of 110, while
Soccsksargen got the lowest with 106.
However,
Central Visayas had the highest birth rate of 25.2. The
region registered a CBR of 25.9, higher than the
National Capital Region, which used to top the regions
in terms of CBR. The Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) had a CBR of 5.1, the lowest among
regions.
Meanwhile, more babies are born in September, surpassing
October, which used to be the traditional month where
most babies are born.
In 2004
there were 167,223 live births, or 9.8 percent of the
total births, occurred in September. The NSO said this
translated to a daily average of 5,574 and a daily index
of 119.2.
October,
which was on top for five consecutive years (1999 to
2003), came in second with 165,183 births, representing
9.7 percent of the total. This resulted in a daily
average of 5,328 and a daily index of 114.
The
lowest birth occurrences were still in February, with
122,168, or 7.1 percent of the total, translating to a
daily average of 4,213 and a 90.1 daily index.
On the
other hand, the NSO said there are seven out of 10
births that were medically attended in 2004.
“Mothers’ concern for healthy pregnancy was clearly
reflected on the recorded facts, as most births were
attended to by qualified medical staff,” the NSO said in
a statement.
A total
of 1,157,443 births, or 67.6 percent of total live
births, were assisted by trained medical practitioners,
such as physicians, nurses and midwives. Other
attendants, including traditional hilot, assisted in the
birth of 547,356 babies, or 32 percent of the total.
Almost
nine out of 10 mothers, or 89.4 percent, who gave birth
in the NCR were facilitated by qualified medical staff.
Other
regions where more than 60 percent of deliveries were
attended to by medical workers were Central Luzon with
85.2 percent; Ilocos, 78.6 percent; Calabarzon, 75.5
percent; CAR, 70.2 percent; and Central Visayas, 67.6
percent.
However,
more than 60 percent of births in Caraga, or 61.3
percent, and Mimaropa at 61.2 percent were attended to
by nonmedical attendants.
Meanwhile, the median age of fathers is four years more
than the median age of mothers. The modal age group of
mothers was 20 to 24 years with 482,630 live births, or
28.2 percent of the total, while fathers was at age
group 25 to 29 with 442,031, or 25.8 percent of the
total live births.
The
number of births born to teenage mothers, on the other
hand, was 135,429, or 7.9 percent of the total. Babies
born to menopausal mothers 45 years old and over
numbered 8,639, or 0.5 percent of the total. The median
age of mothers who gave birth in 2004 was computed at
27.5.
Teenage
fathers and those fathers aged 50 and over shared
28,114, or 1.6 percent, and 24,819, or 1.5 percent,
respectively, to the total births. The median age of
fathers was 31.2, or about four years more than the
median age of mothers. |
