The number of children born alive in the Republic of Moldova continued to decrease in 2024, reaching 23,6 thousand, according to data published by the National Bureau of Statistics. Compared to 2023, the number of newborns is lower by about 500, which is a decrease of 2%, IPN reports.
More than half of the babies born were boys, and the sex ratio is 105 boys to 100 girls. Over 80% of children were born within marriage, while every fifth child was born outside marriage.
There have also been significant changes in the number of children born to a woman. The share of those born as a first child rose to 37.1%, while second, third and fourth or more births fell. At the same time, fewer babies are born in cities than in villages, with only 42% of newborns coming from urban areas, while the remaining almost 58% come from rural areas.
The average age of a mother at first birth reached almost 28 in 2024, up from just over 25 in 2023. In cities, women give birth to their first child later, at around 29, while in villages the average age is 25-26. Chisinau remains the municipality with the highest average age, almost 30.
The number of mothers under 20 has continued to fall and in 2024 reached just over 5% of the total.
