In 2017, a total of 1,700,618 live births was registered which is equivalent to a crude birth rate (CBR) of 16.2 or 16 births per thousand population.

The number of registered live births showed a decreasing trend, noticeably from 2012 to 2017. The decrease in the last five years was 5.0 percent, from 1,790,367 live births in 2012 to 1,700,618 recorded births in 2017. (See Figure 1 and Table 1)

Several factors may contribute to the declining births, such as social change or lifestyle choices associated by economic affluence. Based on the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), the total fertility rate declined steadily over time, from 4.1 children per woman in 1993 to 2.7 children per woman in 2017. Currently, the average ideal family size is 2.7 children. Resources needed for supporting families may cause many couple to think twice about having kids. The use of any method of family planning among married women has increased from 40% in 1993 to 54% in 2017.

More males born than females

More males (887,972 or 52.2%) were born than females (812,646 or 47.8%) which resulted in a sex ratio of 109 males per 100 females.

On the average, there were about 4,659 babies born daily or about 194 babies born per hour or approximately three babies born per minute.

Highest occurrence of births in NCR

Of the total live births, 57.8 percent were born in Luzon, 19.1 percent in Visayas and 23.1 percent in Mindanao. Among the regions of the country, the National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the highest number of birth occurrences of about 14.0 percent. Second in rank was CALABARZON (13.6%) and the third was Central Luzon (11.2%). (See Figure 3 and Table 2)

The difference between the place of birth by occurrence and place of birth by usual residence of the mother by region is shown in the last column of Table 2. Five out of the 17 regions reported positive differentials in the number of births by place of occurrence. These positive differentials may be indicative of expectant mothers giving birth outside of their usual place of residence due to better health care facilities and social services in the receiving region.

In Luzon, the receiving region was NCR which accounted for 21,157 births. Notably, expectant mothers from CALABARZON, Central Luzon and other areas in Luzon preferred to give birth in NCR. (See Figure 4 and Table 2)

Nine in ten birth deliveries medically attended

Of the total number of births in the country, 93.3 percent birth deliveries were attended by health professionals which may either be a physician, a midwife or a nurse. (See Figure 5, Tables 3a and 3b)

The number of births by place of occurrence and by usual residence of mother showed a remarkable proportion on births attended by health professionals in the 16 regions. This is indicative of improving health services in terms of maternal and child health care. Among regions, only Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) showed a very low proportion of medically attended births. More than half of the births that occurred in the region were attended by traditional birth attendants (hilot/unlicensed midwife).
(See Tables 3a, 3b and 3c)

More than half of babies born to unwed mothers

More than half (907,061 or 53.3%) of the total registered live births in 2017 were born out of wedlock (See Figure 6). The three regions that recorded the highest number of illegitimate children born in 2017 by usual residence of mother were CALABARZON (144,622), NCR (141,206), and Central Luzon (100,956).

The proportion of illegitimate babies in ten regions of the country, as usual residence of mother were more than half of its total births, including Eastern Visayas (65.4%), NCR (64.9%), CALABARZON (58.2%), Davao (57.4%), Central Visayas (56.7%), Bicol (55.7%), Caraga (55.6%), Northern Mindanao (53.6%), Central Luzon (52.7%), and Ilocos Region (50.6%). (See Table 4)

More babies born to adolescent mothers 

Babies born to adolescent mothers (196,478) were more than those babies sired by adolescent fathers (52,342).  Moreover, babies sired by fathers aged 50 years old and over (27,068) were far more than babies born to mothers of the same age group (328).  (See Table 5)

The modal age group of childbearing in 2017 was at 20-24 years old. The highest frequency of live births (471,356 or 27.7%) belonged to mothers in this age group. On the other hand, fathers aged 25-29 were recorded to have sired the highest frequency of live births (416,168 or 24.5%)

The median age of mothers giving birth was 26 and for fathers was 29 years old. (See Figure 7)

LISA GRACE S. BERSALES, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General