NRW Births Rise Despite Stable German Women's Fertility
In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, the total fertility rate for German women remained steady in 2018, while it decreased slightly for non-German women. Despite this, the number of births increased by 0.7% compared to the previous year.
A total of 173,150 children were born in NRW in 2018. Women aged 15 to 49 had an average of 1.60 children each. German women had an average of 1.45 children, compared to 2.29 for women with foreign citizenship.
The cohort fertility rate for women born in 1969 was 1.48, slightly higher than the 1.46 rate for the 1968 cohort. The district of Coesfeld had the highest average number of children per capita in 2018 (1.88), while Münster had the lowest (1.29). Women with higher education in West Germany, including NRW, tend to have fewer children overall and often at older ages, with a notable proportion remaining childless until their late 30s.
In NRW, the total fertility rate for German women remained stable in 2018, while it decreased for non-German women. Despite this, the number of births increased. The average number of children per woman was 1.60, with German women having fewer children on average than women with foreign citizenship. The district of Coesfeld had the highest fertility rate, while Münster had the lowest.
