Tasmanian birthrates experience biggest lift in the country in latest ABS data and baby boom set to continue post-COVID-19

Twins William and Angus McCracken are just two of the newest Tasmanians on the block amid what is set to be a baby boom post-coronavirus. But the boom is causing some teething issues. Details >>

TASMANIA is amid a baby boom coming out of the pandemic and off the back of nation-leading birthrates in 2019, with one private practice almost fully booked eight months in advance.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistic data released on Wednesday showed Tasmania saw the biggest increase in birthrates in the country from 5525 births in 2018 to 5716 in 2019 – an increase of 3.5 per cent – or 191 more babies.

Nationally, there was an average decrease of 3 per cent in births in 2019 from the year before.

In 2019, the Tasmanian area with the highest total fertility rate was the Central Highlands at 2.66 and the biggest number of babies were born in Launceston at 733.

Eternal Women’s Health obstetrician Tania Hingston said the Melville St practice had noticed an increase in pregnancies this year and all staff had been extremely busy.

“The babies we are birthing now were potentially conceived just at the start of COVID and for the next eight months – we’re booking people who are due in August now – we are fully or close to fully booked for every month,” she said.

“Between the four of us we’ll book 48 pregnancies per month. This is the busiest I’ve ever been.”

Dr Hingston said while a number of people at the start of the pandemic chose not to get pregnant, as time went on they decided to “get on with it.”

She said the impact of coronavirus on antenatal care was challenging, with many consultations taking place over the phone often ending up need to be in person, creating a double up.

“In terms of birthing, there were strict rules around wearing masks and PPE,” Dr Hingston said.

“Telling a woman who has to push a baby out that she has to keep a mask on constantly is not very nice and we did have some who were required to.”

Hugh McCracken and Amy Burnell of Kingston with 8-month-old twin boys William and Angus McCracken. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

Two new Tasmanians born during the spike in the birthrate were twin boys William and Angus McCracken who were born at the Royal Hobart Hospital on April 3.

Kingston parents Amy Burnell and Hugh McCracken are taking first time parenthood and a pandemic in their stride.

Ms Burnell said the couple had been shocked, but excited to learn they were expecting twins and COVID-19 had meant there were some difficulties since their birth.

“We weren’t allowed any visitors in the hospital and because we were in lockdown at the time we weren’t really able to have any visitors when we got home either,” she said.

“So family couldn’t come over and help out with cooking and cleaning like they might normally have so it meant a lot more work for us. A lot of Hugh’s family is in Victoria too and they still haven’t met the babies.

“On the positive side, Hugh was able to work from home for most of the year so he was around a lot more than he would have been otherwise.”

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