There were 265 births and 156 deaths in Westmeath from January to March 2024, according to figures published by the Central Statistics Office on Friday, 23 August.
147 of those born in Westmeath in this time period were male, while the remaining 118 were female. This means 57% were male while 43% were female. There were 10.8 births for every 1,000 people in the county.
The average age of first-time mothers was 30.7 years, with most mothers who gave birth in the 30 to 34 age bracket. Next were those between 35 and 39 with 75 births, followed by those between 25 and 29 with 43. 26 mothers who gave birth were 40 and over, while 27 were between 20 and 24. Five registered births were from mothers aged under 20.
151 births were within marriage, equalling 59%, while 114 were outside marriage, equalling 41%. The average age of mothers, who gave birth outside marriage, was 28.6. According to the study, 28.3% of babies born outside marriage had parents who shared an address.
The number of births in Westmeath in Q1 2024 increased by 7% from Q4 in 2023 when it was recorded at 239. First-time mothers in Westmeath in Q4 2023 had an average age of 31.5, which dropped to 30.7 years in Q1 2024.
DEATHS
Of the 156 deaths registered in Westmeath in Q1 of 2024, 86 (55%) were male and 70 (45%) were female. There were 6.3 deaths per 1,000 of the population, according to the study.
Circulatory system diseases were the most common cause of death with 42, followed by malignant neoplasms at 39, while 27 died from respiratory system diseases. Six people died from dementia, two died from Alzheimer’s, and two died from Covid-19. One person died from external causes of injury or poisoning. 37 people died from other causes.
The number of deaths in Westmeath in Q1 2024 decreased by 9.8% from Q4 in 2023 when it was recorded at 142. Circulatory system diseases were also the most common cause of death in this period, with 41 people.
