In the capital region, the average age of first-time mothers has been increasing for years. The average age of first-time mothers giving birth in Helsinki has long been close to 30 years old. For those in senior career positions, the average age for giving birth to their first child is 34 years old.
According to the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the trend of older first-time mothers has continued over the past three decades.
For example, in 1987 a woman in Helsinki usually had her first child when she was between 25-29 years old, whereas in 2015 the average age had risen to 30-34 years old.
According to the Institute's Senior Planning Officer Anna Heino, "the majority of first-time mothers giving birth are over 30 years old these days."
More women are choosing to postpone having children until later in life. According to Heino, that's becoming an increasingly common choice as women want to ensure that their education and career are in order before they start families. Another factor is that working life is so much less secure these days, and that uncertainty may add to the decision to put off having a baby.
”However, the concern is that too many (women) think that having a child at 40 will be no problem at all, which it may be, but the probability of it happening decreases with each year,” says Heino.
Number of teen mothers halved
One segment of first-time mothers that continues to decrease is those having babies when they are under 20 years of age. Teenagers giving birth as first-time mothers has almost halved in the last 30 years both nationally and in the capital region.
According to Heino, the same declining trend also holds true for abortions, which have also substantially decreased during the last three decades.
”Hopefully, this means that birth control awareness has increased and people are using it, ” says Heino.
