Notes on the data: Fertility

Total fertility rate, 2022

Policy context: Fertility is an important component of population change (particularly population age-structure), and low fertility has implications for a population's ability to sustain itself [1]. Fertility levels vary between areas with different socioeconomic conditions, between metropolitan and regional areas, and among the States and Territories. Differences may exist for a variety of reasons, such as culture, social norms, employment, the economy, and socioeconomic status [1].

Fertility is measured by the total fertility rate (TFR) which represents the average number of children that a woman could expect to bear during her reproductive lifetime: it is calculated from details of the age of the female population, the number of births and the age of the mother at birth. Since 1974, Australia’s TFR has been below the replacement level of 2.1 babies per woman. In 2021, Australia’s TFR was 1.70 babies per woman, higher than in 2020 (1.59) but remaining lower than in 2011 (1.92) [2]. Sustained periods of fertility below the replacement level are major drivers of population ageing. Given the potential economic impacts of an ageing population, fertility is of particular interest to policy-makers.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Year book Australia, 2008. (ABS cat. no. 1301.0). Canberra: ABS; 2008.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Births, Australia, 2021. Available at https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release; accessed 13 April 2021: last accessed 19 April 2023

Notes: Total fertility rates are not shown for areas recording fewer than 5 births

Geography: Data available by Population Health Area, Local Government Area, Primary Health Network, Quintile of socioeconomic disadvantage of area and Quintiles within PHNs, and Remoteness Area

Numerator: Live births

Detail of analysis: Total fertility rate per woman, calculated from age-specific fertility rates

Source: Compiled by PHIDU based on ABS data from Table 2: Births, Summary, Statistical Area Level 2 - 2011 to 2022, Births, Australia 2022 (ABS Cat. no. 3301ODO002.0).