The number of births to young mothers has decreased to a historic low, according to data published by Nisra (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency).

According to the Registrar General's 101st Annual Report, the population is expected to grow by 0.3% from 2021 to 1.91 million by the mid-year of 2022.

In 2022, there were about 8,564 recorded marriages, including 266 same-sex unions and 28 conversions from civil partnerships to marriage.

In contrast to 1992, when brides and grooms averaged 27 years and 28.9 years, respectively, the average age of brides and grooms climbed to 33.9 and 35.7 years.

Thirty of the forty-three civil partnerships that were registered in 2022 were opposite-sex unions, with nine involving male partnerships and four involving female partnerships. In 2021, there were only 37 partnerships registered.

In the meantime, 2,324 divorces were approved in 2022—a rise over 2,040 the year before but a 20.2% decrease from the peak 2,913 in 2007.

According to the report, out of the 20,837 births that were registered in 2022, the percentage of births to teenage mothers reached a record low of 436 (2.1%).

Over the past three decades, the average age of moms has increased, going from 28 years to 31.4 years for all mothers, and from 25.7 years in 1992 to 29.3 years in 2022 for first-time mothers.

Of the 20,837 births that were registered in 2022—10,642 males and 10,195 females—47.2% did not result from marriage or a civil partnership, up from 22% thirty years prior.

In 2022, there were 71 recorded stillbirths in Northern Ireland, representing a drop in the stillbirth rate from 4 per 1,000 births in 2021 to 3.4 per 1,000 in 2022.

In comparison to 2021 (17,558), there were 2.3% fewer fatalities reported in 2022 (17,159).

In 2022, cancer remained the primary cause of death, accounting for 27% of all deaths and being the most prevalent cause of death for both sexes. Heart disease and cerebrovascular disease ranked second in terms of frequency of causes of death for both sexes (21.9%).

From the final estimates, respiratory diseases accounted for 11.2% of all deaths recorded in 2022, followed by Alzheimer's and other dementias at 11.8%. The proportion of Covid-19 deaths decreased from 10.5% of all deaths in 2021 to 3.8% in 2022.

In Northern Ireland in 2022, there were about 203 suicide fatalities (including self-inflicted injuries and incidents with unclear intentions), down from 237 in 2021.

Seventy-six percent of the deaths from self-inflicted injuries were male (76.8%).