Pregnancy, births and maternity: key points for Scotland

Birth and fertility rates continue to fall: 

• In 2021, there were 47,786 live births, slightly fewer than in 2020.  
• The fertility rate in 2021 was 46 births per 1,000 women of child-bearing age.  

• The fertility rate increased from 48 births per 1,000 women in 2002 to a new peak of 56 per 1,000 in 2008. Since 2008 the fertility rate has been declining.  

Women are having children later:  

• Women aged 30 years and over accounted for over half (59%) of all live births in 2021. 

One in five of all known pregnancies miscarry:  

• The actual number of miscarriages (known and unknown) will be higher – because miscarriages often occur before the woman is aware she is pregnant.   

Stillbirths:

• There were 3.8 stillbirths per 1,000 total births in 2021. 

Maternal deaths increase: 

• Although rare, there were 10.9 deaths per 100,000 deliveries in the UK (2018-20 data) - higher than in 2017-19. Only a small part of the increase can be accounted for by COVID-19 deaths. 

Breastfeeding rates are increasing slowly: 

• 32% of babies in 2020/21 were exclusively breastfed at 6-8 weeks of age; an increase since 2012/13.  A further 14% were fed a mixture of breast milk and formula milk. 

Note: teenage pregnancies are discussed in more detail in the Sexual health section of this website.