KEY POINTS:
New Zealand is in the midst of a baby boom, figures released today show.
There were 60,470 births in the 12 months to March, the highest number since 1974.
Births also outstripped deaths by 32,010 - the biggest increase of its kind in 15 years.
The median age for women giving birth is now 30, compared with 25 in 1977.
The Statistics New Zealand figures show that women aged 30 to 34 years had the highest birth rate at 125 births per 1000 women.
For those aged 25 to 29, there were 109 births per 1000 women.
Today's official figures also revealed improving news on infant mortality - down to 5.1 for every 1000 live births from 7.1 per 1000 in 1997.
The figures further showed the life expectancy of men and women has narrowed.
A new-born girl can now expect to live to almost 82 and a new-born boy will on average live to be 78.
This has narrowed the life expectancy gap to four years, compared with more than six years in the mid-seventies.
- NZPA
