Number of babies born in Singapore rises slightly after 8-year low
A mother pushes her child in a pram. (File photo: Francine Lim)
SINGAPORE: The number of babies born in Singapore rose slightly in 2019, after an eight-year low, according to data released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Tuesday (Jul 28).
A total of 39,279 babies were born last year, a 0.6 per cent increase from 2018, according to the annual report published in June.Â
The crude birth rate in 2019Â remained the same as 2018, with 8.8 per 1,000 Singapore residents.Â
Crude birth rate refers to the number of live births per thousand population, based on Singapore residents only.
In 2019, Malays registered the highest birth rate of 14.0 per 1,000 residents, followed by Indians at 8.7 per 1,000 residents. Chinese registered the lowest rate of 7.6 per 1,000 residents.Â
The number of babies born to teenagers aged 19 and below has also continued to fall, with 280 live births recorded in 2019.Â
This is a 3.1 per cent drop compared to 2018, with 289 babies born to teenage mothers.Â
READ:Â Fewer marriages, more divorces in Singapore last year
HAVING CHILDREN LATER
The report also showed a rise in the median age of mothers having their first, second and third child.
"Based on the resident birth order figures, it seems that women have been delaying the birth of children till a later age," said ICA.Â
The median age for first time mothers was 30.8 years in 2019, compared to 29.8 in 2010.Â
CANCER AND HEART DISEASES COMMON CAUSESÂ OF DEATH
A total of 21,446 deaths were registered in 2019, a 0.8 per cent increase from 2018.Â
According to the report, ICA said malignant neoplasms, or cancerous tumours, and heart and hypertensive diseases were the two common causes of death in Singapore.Â
"Altogether, they accounted for more than half (51.8 per cent) of total deaths," said ICA.Â
Lung and respiratory diseases were third on the list, causing almost the same number of deaths as heart and hypertensive diseases.
In 2019, the median age at death was 77.4 years.Â
ICA said the median age at death has been "gradually lengthening" over the years, with the median age at 74.4 years in 2010.Â
According to the report, females lived longer than their male counterparts - with the median age at death for males at 73.7Â years, and 80.7 years for females, a difference of 7.0 years.Â
