In 2003, 3,995 deliveries were registered in Malta, resulting in a total of 4,054 births, which included twins and triplets.

The National Obstetrics Information System (NOIS) revealed that when comparing these figures to the same period last year one can see that the number of deliveries and, consequently, the births increased – in 2002, 3,927 births were recorded. Between 1999 and 2002 the birth rate declined progressively.

Last year the greatest number of deliveries, 37 per cent occurred in the age group between 25 and 29 while the lowest number of deliveries were in the over 45 age group. The minimum age of mothers was 14 and the maximum age 45.

Seventeen per cent of all deliveries occurred to unmarried mothers, 82 per cent to married, widowed, separated mothers and the remaining one per cent had no specific marital status.

The NOIS stated that when these percentages were compared to the pervious year it resulted that there was a three per cent increase in the single status rate, coupled with a two per cent decrease in mothers who were married once.

Almost all the single mothers claimed they received ‘support at home to raise the infant’ while four did not have any home support.

The mothers were mostly all Maltese except for 220 of them. Even in this instance, when compared to the previous year, the percentage rate of non-Maltese mothers increased, this time by two per cent.

The majority of the mothers gave birth in hospital while three mothers gave birth at home, 11 underwater and two on another unspecified site.

And again more boys than girls born were born, both in 2002 and last year.

The NOIS latest report was welcomed by many who had been concerned about the decline in birth rates world-wide.

According to statistics compiled by Mgr Philip Calleja, the national director at the Emigrants’ Commission since 1975 when 6,007 births were recorded, the number of live births decreased by almost half with 3,935 births in 2001. And statistics show that since 1975 the number was constantly declining. Meanwhile, the number of births outside marriage rose at a steady pace with 71 registered in 1975 and 499 in 2001.

There were 54 children born to unknown fathers in 1975 and 245 children were similarly registered in 2001. In total, between 1975 and 2001, there were 146,263 live births, 4,141 births outside marriage, and 2,715 children ‘without’ a father.