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Highlights

Births and fertility continuing an upward trend

1. In 2006, a total of 354,617 births were registered in Canada, the largest annual number since 1996 (366,200).
2. Births continued an upward trend that began in 2002. From 2005 to 2006, the annual birth increase is 3.6% , the highest growth since 1989.
3. There was a noticeable increase in the total fertility rate, or the average number of children per woman, which jumped from 1.54 in 2005 to 1.59 in 2006.
4. The recent increase in births could be explained partly by the fact that many women from the echo generation had entered their childbearing years and their fertility rates edged up.

Women postponing childbearing

1. The average age of women giving birth rose steadily in the past 20 years, from 27.0 years in 1986 to 29.3 years in 2006.
2. The period between 1986 and 2006 saw a decline in the fertility rate of Canadian women in their twenties, while that of women in their thirties increased steadily.
3. In 2006, for the first time, the fertility rate of Canadian women aged 30 to 34 surpassed that of women aged 25 to 29. This rate has been higher than that of women aged 20 to 24 since 1989.

Births are up in almost every part of Canada

1. Between 2005 and 2006, the number of births rose in all provinces and territories except Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories.
2. Quebec and Alberta were the largest contributors accounting for 70% of the total increase of births.

Stillbirths and stillbirth rate trends

1. The number of stillbirths (or fetal deaths) in Canada was 2,272 in 2006, an increase of 2.9% from 2005.
2. The stillbirth rate remained stable at 6.4 per 1,000 total births (live births and stillbirths) between 2005 and 2006.

Stillbirth rates vary by geography

1. Four provinces (Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan) and the Yukon Territory registered stillbirth rates below the national average (6.4 per 1,000 total births).