The graph illustrates the percentage of women in different age groups in the years 1966, 1986, and 2006. The chart shows a significant shift in the age distribution of women giving birth to their first child over the three decades.
In 1966, the majority of women (61%) had their first child between the ages of 20 and 24, followed by those under 19 (34%). However, this trend reversed over the years, with the percentage of women in these age groups declining significantly. By 2006, the proportion of women under 19 had dropped to 11%, and those between 20 and 24 had decreased to 28%.
On the other hand, the percentage of women giving birth to their first child at older ages increased. In 1966, 36% of women had their first child between 25 and 30, which increased to 50% in 1986 and then decreased to 38% in 2006. Similarly, the proportion of women having their first child between 30 and 34 increased from 12% in 1966 to 44% in 2006, and those between 35 and 39 increased from 8% to 30% over the same period.
The chart also shows that women over 40 consistently had the lowest proportion of first-time mothers across the three years, with a slight increase from 2% in 1966 to 6% in 2006.
Overall, the chart indicates a significant shift towards older ages for first-time mothers in Australia over the three decades, with a decline in teenage pregnancies and an increase in women having children in their 30s and 40s.