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Less Babies, Delayed Maternity
Costa Rican women are giving
bringing a lesser number of
babies into the world.
This is a steady trend present
at all age groups, including
that of adolescents, who had
carried the brunt of fertility
in the last few decades.
According to the National
Statistics and Census Bureau,
72,247 children were born in
2004, 691 less than in 2003 and
almost 11,000 less than in 1986.
January through June this year,
there were 445 less births than
in the same period in 2004.
Also, according to the Central
American Population Center, the
average age for maternity -the
age at which 50% of women are
mothers - went from 21 in 1990
to 23 in 2004.
As a reference, the average in
Europe now is 29 years.
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