Portsmouth births – JSNA report

On this page you will find information about births in Portsmouth. You can view the full interactive data report here.

There were 2,039 live births for Portsmouth residents in 2024. This is a decrease of 5.0% compared to the number of live births in 2023 (2,147).

• Live birth rate
• General fertility rate
• Age of mother
• Total fertility rate
• Births to mothers born outside of the UK
• Low birthweight
• Caesarean section
• Premature births

In 2024, the Portsmouth live birth rate – also known as the crude birth rate (CBR) – was 9.5 per 1,000 resident population.

• This is the lowest recorded rate since 2013.
• The CBR has been decreasing each year since 2013.
• The 2024 Portsmouth CBR is lower than the England rate.
  • It is higher than the South East region rate (9.1 per 1,000 resident population).
  • It is lower than the Southampton rate (9.8 per 1,000 resident population).

In 2024, the general fertility rate (GFR) for Portsmouth was 42.7 per 1,000 females aged 15-44 years.

• This is the lowest rate since 2013.
• The 2024 Portsmouth GFR is lower than the England rate (49.0 per 1,000 females aged 15-44 years).
  • It is lower than the South East rate (48.7 per 1,000 females aged 15-44 years).
  • It is higher than the Southampton rate (39.9 per 1,000 females aged 15-44 years).

Portsmouth’s standardised mean age of mother has generally increased, rising from 29.9 years in 2013 to 30.6 years in 2024.

• This remains the same as 2023 and is a decrease compared to the standardised age of mother in 2022 in Portsmouth (30.8).
• This is lower than the England rate (31.0 years), the South East rate (31.3 years) and the rate in Southampton (31.4 years) in 2024.

In 2024, the total fertility rate (TFR) for Portsmouth was 1.2 births per female.

• This is the lowest rate since 2013.
• The 2024 Portsmouth TFR is lower than the England rate (1.4 births per female).
  • It is lower than the South East rate (1.4 births per female).
  • It is the same as the Southampton rate (also 1.2 births per female).

In 2024, there were 787 live births to mothers who were born outside of the UK and living in Portsmouth (38.6% of all Portsmouth resident live births).

• This is higher than the England average (34.7%) and the South-East average (30.4%).
• This is lower than the Southampton average (46.5%).
  It is the highest percentage for Portsmouth since 2010 (20.8%).
• The majority of non-UK born mothers living in Portsmouth were born in the Middle East and Asia (43.8%).
• 17.4% of non-UK born mothers living in Portsmouth were born in the EU, the majority of which were born in New EU countries (10.4% of all non-UK born mothers).
  31.0% of non-UK born mothers living in Portsmouth were born in Africa.

In 2023, for mothers living in Portsmouth, 3.2% of all live births at 37 weeks or longer (full-term) with a recorded birthweight, weighed under 2,500g.

• This is similar to the England average (3.0% of live births at 37 weeks or longer).
  • It is similar to the South East region (2.6% of live births at 37 weeks or longer).
  • It is similar to Southampton (2.8% of live births at 37 weeks or longer).
• The percentage of low birthweight (LBW) of full-term births for Portsmouth mothers has remained broadly similar since 2006.

In 2023/24, 43.9% of births to mothers living in Portsmouth (delivered in an NHS hospital) were deliveries by caesarean section.

• This is higher than the England average (40.9% of births).
• This is similar to the South East region (42.4% of births), and Southampton (40.3% of births).

In 2020-22, the rate of premature births (gestational age between 24-36 weeks) and all stillbirths for mothers living in Portsmouth was 78.7 per 1,000 live births and stillbirths.

• The Portsmouth rate is similar to the England average (77.0 per 1,000 live births and stillbirths).
  • This is similar to the South East region (71.9 per 1,000 live births and stillbirths),
  • This is similar to Southampton (72.6 per live births and stillbirths).