There are over 7,000 births per annum in Devon. Since 2001 a gradual increase has been seen in the numbers of babies being born, with numbers dropping slightly since 2012. Figure 8.2 below shows the rates of births by age group over time and shows increasing rates of births to mothers aged 35 and above and decreasing rates in those aged under 35. The rate of births to mothers aged 40 is now just above the rate in under 20 year olds which is showing a gradual decrease.
Figure 8.2 Live births per 1,000 females by maternal age, Devon, 1997 to 2014
Source: National Compendium of Clinical Indicators, Adapted from data from the Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.1.0
Total period fertility rates look at the mean average number of births per woman if they are to pass through childbearing years conforming to fertility rates by age of a given year. In Devon, the rate in 2014 (1.80) was slightly below the South West and England averages of 1.85 and 1.83 respectively. This rate varies significantly across Devon, ranging from 1.46 in Exeter up to 2.01 in Mid Devon.
The birth rate varies across Devon as illustrated in figure 8.3 which highlights higher rates in urban areas, including Exeter, Newton Abbot, Tiverton, and Barnstaple. New housing development areas tend to have higher birth rates, as illustrated in the higher birth rates in the Newcourt area of Exeter and the new town of Cranbrook. Particularly low rates are seen in areas with a higher student population, such as the Exeter University area.
Figure 8.3, Birth per 1,000 females aged 15 to 44 by Devon LSOA, 2010 to 2014
Source: Annual Births File, Office for National Statistics, 2015