Romanian women choose to become mothers at an older age

The average age at which Romanian women choose to become mothers has increased by five years since 1990, to 27 years, according to recent data from the National Statistics Institute (INS). In the urban areas, the average age went up to 28 years. Moreover, according to data from a private clinic in Bucharest, the average in the Romanian capital is over 29 years, reports local Mediafax. Most Romanian women have their first child between 25 and 29 years (more than 35,600 births per year), which represents an increase of 120% compared to 1990. More than 20,000 women give birth to their first child between 30 and 34 years, the figure being three times higher than the one registered 25 years ago. In contrast, the number of births by mothers aged 20-24 has decreased by 70%, to 24,000. This is mainly because women want to make a career and have financial stability before having children, the trend being similar to that in most European countries. Moreover, most of the people, men and women alike, are not ready for the responsibility commitment and lifestyle change a baby brings, according to obstetrics and gynecology doctor Chadi Muheidli. The situation is similar in men's case. If back in 1990 most of the men who decided to become fathers were between 25 and 29 years, now most of them choose to have their first child between 30 and 34 years. The largest decrease is registered in the 20-24 category, of 77%. According to INS data, Romania had a birth rate of 8.8 live births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2014, down from 13.6 in 1990. Romania’s demographics: How many babies were born in the country in 2015? Romanian women, first to marry in the EU Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com