The given column chart compares the maternal age of women at their first birth in Australia during the four decades from 1966 to 2006.
Overall, it is evident that a trend of late parenthood is growing in Australia, while there is a considerable fall in the choice of early motherhood.
Looking in detail at the information, in 1966, a significant number of newborn mothers belonged to the age group of 19 to 24 (62 percent), followed by women at the age of 25 to 30 and under 19, which make up 35 percent and 33 percent respectively. First pregnancy after the age of 30 was not common during 1966, together constituting only 23 percent. Moreover, half of the mothers delivered their first baby at the age of 25-30, in 1986. Though there was a drop in the number of early motherhood during 1986, its proportion outweighed the number of first pregnancies after the age of 30.
On the contrary, a surge in late pregnancy is visible in 2006, accounting for 45 percent and 30 percent for the age groups 30 to 34 and 34 to 49 respectively. 38 percent of women became mothers at the age of 25 to 30 years.
