Birth Statistics
The number of registered live births in Region I (Ilocos Region) in 2017 summed up to 96,302, a decrease of 1.1 percent compared to 97,385 births in 2016. The daily average birth occurrence in 2017 was computed at 264 births or an average of 11 babies born per hour. The month of November was observed to have the highest average daily births with 302 babies during the year 2017, higher than the daily average births in the region in 2017.
A year earlier, the highest daily average was also recorded in the month of November with 318 registered live births. On the contrary, April reported the lowest daily average of 221 births in 2017, while the month of December posted the lowest daily average with 188 births in 2016.
Moreover, November was the month with the highest number of registered live births in 2017. Births registered during the month counted to 9,066 or 9.4 percent of the total registered births in the region. On the other end, the lowest number of registered live births was recorded in the month of April with 6,641 or 6.9 percent of the total registered births in 2017.
During the year, it can be observed that the months of January, May, June, September, October, November and December posted higher daily average number of registered births than the regional average.
Among the provinces in the region, the province of Pangasinan registered the highest number of births in year 2017. Its share was more than half (62.7 percent) of the total registered births in Region I. The province of La Union ranked second with 13,627 births (14.2 percent), followed by the province of Ilocos Sur with 11,651 births (12.1 percent) and the province of Ilocos Norte with 10,606 (11.0 percent).
Among the cities/municipalities in the region, San Carlos City, Pangasinan registered the highest number of live births with 11,385 births in 2017. This was followed by Dagupan City, Pangasinan with 10,039 births; City of San Fernando, La Union with 7,314 births; City of Urdaneta, Pangasinan with 5,965 births; and City of Alaminos, Pangasinan with 4,736 births. It was also observed that San Carlos City had higher registered births than the total registered births in the province of Ilocos Norte in 2017.
On the other hand, the municipalities of Sigay and San Esteban, Ilocos Sur had the lowest number of registered live births in 2017 with 13 registered births each. It was followed by Carasi, Dumalneg, Lidlidda and Adams with 14, 17, 19 and 20 registered births, respectively.
Males (49,653) outnumbered females (46,649) in terms of registered live births in 2017, resulting to a sex ratio of 106 males per 100 females.
Ilocos Sur posted a sex ratio of 109 which was higher than the regional ratio. This was followed by La Union with a sex ratio of 107. On the other hand, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan posted the lowest sex ratio in the region both with 106.
In 2017, 87.5 percent or 84,225 of total registered live births were attended by medical practitioners which may either be a physician, a nurse or a midwife. The province of La Union had the highest percentage of birth deliveries tended by health professionals with 90.9 percent of the total registered live births in the province followed by Pangasinan with 88.2 percent, Ilocos Sur with 83.4 percent and Ilocos Norte with 83.1 percent.
More than a quarter (26.6 percent) or 25,583 of mothers who gave birth in 2017 belonged to age group 20 to 24. Meanwhile, the highest proportion of fathers belonged to age group 25 to 29, which is about a quarter (24.7 percent) of the total number of fathers of babies with registered births in 2017.
Furthermore, it can also be noted that teenage mothers (10,539) was more than thrice than that of teenage fathers (3,118).
Meanwhile, a total of 25 mothers at age group 50 and over gave birth to babies who were registered in 2017. The number of fathers belonging to age group 50 and over (1,639), however, was 65 times more than that of mothers.
The median age for mothers was 27.0 years old while for fathers, 29.9 years old.
Explanatory Notes
Data on births presented in this release were obtained from the Certificates of Live Birth (Municipal Form 102) that were registered at the Office of the City/Municipal Civil Registrars and forwarded to the Philippine Statistics Authority - Provincial Statistical Offices in Region I. Information included births registered in January to December 2017 and January to December 2016.