Sweden hasn't seen such fertility in women since the early 1990s.
Sweden hasn't seen such fertility in women since the early 1990s, but the reproduction rate still falls short of being sufficient to maintain a steady population in the country, according to figures compiled from 2005 to 2009 and released by the Statistics Sweden, SCB.
The youngest new mothers are women in the northern city of Dorothea, a community in Norrbotten province in Lapland which has all of 2,914 residents. Their young mother average age, 24.6 years old, was closely followed by a town in Västergötland, Bjurholm (age 25.6) and another far north city, Överkalix (age 25.7).
The oldest first-time mothers were found in Danderyd, a community in Stockholm that is known for its low tax rates. In this more affluent city, mothers gave birth to their first child at an average age of 32. With similar above-average-income mothers, Lidingö (also outside Stockholm) boasts the average age of 31.5, and the moderate stronghold in Skåne, Vellinge trailed closely for oldest mother with age 31.3.
Analysts observed that female empolyment in these cities was higher than average, which caused potential mothers to wait longer before getting pregnant due to their choice to pursue jobs, businesses or careers.
Similar trends were found in the ages of younger fathers, although they tended to be somewhat older when their first children were born. Again in the Norrbotten city of Överkalix, the lowest age first time fathers averaged 28.3 years. Following by only a few months of age were men siring their first children in Hofors (28.8 years) and Dals-Ed (29 years). These three cities have somewhat lower-than-average family incomes and also unemployment difficulties.
Once more showing that wealthier professionals wait to build a family, men fathering their firstborns at the oldest ages in Sweden lived in Danderyd (33.9 years), Lidingö (33.8 years) and Taby (33.3 years).
Viewed over a longer period, the average age at first birth has increased in Sweden. For the population to increase itself without incoming foreigners to add to the figures, the SCB calculates that it requires women give birth on average to 2.1 children during their lifetimes. However, Swedish women are currently giving birth only to an average of 1.94 children.