Maltese Mothers Are Aged An Average 29.9 Years When They Had Their First Child

Malta recorded an average age of 29.9 years for women giving birth to their first child in 2024, according to new EU statistics on births and fertility.

The same report showed that Malta registered the lowest fertility rate among all European Union member states in 2024.

The country recorded a total fertility rate of 1.01 live births per woman, significantly below the EU average of 1.34. Bulgaria registered the highest fertility rate at 1.72 live births per woman.

Across the EU, 3.55 million babies were born in 2024, almost half the number recorded six decades ago.

The report also pointed to notable demographic changes in Malta. Around 38% of children born in Malta in 2024 were born to foreign born mothers, marking one of the sharpest increases recorded in the EU. The figure has risen substantially from 11% in 2013.

Statistics further showed that more than half of births in Malta were first born children, reflecting changing family patterns and smaller household sizes.

EU data also indicated that women are generally having children later in life. In 2024, the average age of women at childbirth across the EU stood at 31.3 years, while the average age for women having their first child was 29.9 years.

The fertility rate across the EU reached a historic low in 2024, continuing a trend that has been observed across most member states in recent years.

#MaltaDaily