The bar chart compares the ages when women had their first child in Australia from 1966 to 2006.
Overall, it is clearly seen that the rate of early parenthood at the age of 20-24 was steadily decreasing, while the rate of becoming parents at a later age, 30-34, was significantly increasing over the years.Women in particular showed a notable rise in the desire to have children in their 30s, and by 2006 this rate had peaked between other figures, surpassing that of those who wanted to have children in their 20s.
In 1966, the majority of women leaned towards early motherhood, with over 60% giving birth at the age of 20-24. However, this figure declined to 40% by 1986 and then further dropped to 30% by 2006. The age group of 25-29 was also quite popular among Australian women. Initially showing a significant increase from just under 40% in 1966 to over 50% in 1986. Despite this growth, the percentage
fell to around 40% by 2006, showing that the trend fluctuated over time before returning to its earlier level. Similar to women in 20-25 age bracket, those aged under 19 experienced a fall an initial 35% to around 21% in 1986 before finishing at a mere 11%.
The remaining age categories, however, experienced consistent rises in their figures. In 1966, 12% of women in the 30-34 age group wished to have children, and this figure rose to 18% by 1986. However, the most significant change occurred in 2006, when it surged by 31%, reaching an impressive 50%. Similarly, the trend was observed among women aged 35-39. In 1966, the proportion was 9%, increasing to 13% by 1986, and by 2006 it had nearly tripled to almost 30%, indicating a consistent upward trend. Women who had their first child after the age of 40, on the other hand, represented a modest 2% in 1966. This figure gradually increased to around 4%, ultimately reaching 5% by 2006.