Data on live births are based on personal information of the newborn and the parents as updated in the Population Register, as well as on information appearing in the forms "Notification of Live Birth" or "Notification of a Stillbirth".
In 2016, the Central Bureau of Statistics began receiving daily updates from the Population Register, which led to changes and improvements in the definitions and estimates of vital statistics calculated in the CBS, including live births. Until this year, a file on live birth data was received each month from the Population, Immigration and Border Authority.
Data collection is enabled by the Population Registration Ordinance 1965, which requires that the person in charge of the institution where the birth takes place, or the parents of the child, the doctor or midwife if the birth occurred elsewhere, notify the Population, Immigration and Border Authority within 10 days of the birth.
If the birth occurred in a hospital, the "Notification of Live Birth" form is filled out in four copies.
The first copy is sent to the Population, Immigration and Border Authority, the second is used for the National Insurance Institute, the third is given to parents as a temporary birth notice, and the fourth remains in the hospital.
The data include births in Israel in which at least one of the parents has an Israeli identity card. The data do not include births that occurred abroad to Israeli citizens.
Until 1962, data were recorded according to the year of registration. Since 1963, data are recorded according to the year of occurrence – except cases that were reported late.
Late Reports of Live Births, by Newborn's Mother's Religion, 2013–2019
Between 1957 and 1959, in 1975, and in the first half of 1976, the data on births were computed from a sample of 50%.
Prior to 1962, births among the Bedouin in the South were not included in the summary tables of vital statistics. Until then, vital statistics rates, including live births, were computed accordingly, after deducting the number of Bedouin in the South from the total population. Bedouin in the South are, however, included in the detailed breakdown of births in all years. Due to a discrepancy between the data in the Population Register and the population estimates for Bedouin tribes, no birth or death rates were calculated for those living outside localities.
As of 1970, births in East Jerusalem are included; and as of 1982, including the Druze in the Golan.
Until 1984, each live birth in which religion was unknown was included among "Druze and others" ("others" including adherents of other recognized religions, e.g., Bahais, Samaritans, etc.).
As of 1996, total live births include births of women not classified by religion.
Until 1990, the source of data on birth order was the Notification of Live Births. Since 1991, the source has been the Population Register. According to this source, it was possible to identify for the first time cases of unknown birth order, which until 1990, had been included among first births.
DEFINITIONS
The following entries can be found in the Glossary: Live birth, Multiple birth, Natural increase, Birth order, Sex ratio at birth, Crude birth rate (CBR), Total fertility rate (TFR), Age-specific fertility rate, General fertility rate (GFR), Gross reproduction rate (GRR), Net reproduction rate (NRR), Replacement level (in fertility).
METHODS OF COMPUTATION
Since 1969, calculations of percentages have been made on the basis of a population including potential immigrants. The annual rates are based on current population estimates, according to the last census, except for the 2008 estimates, which are based on the 1995 Census. As of the 2009 data, the population estimates are based on the 2008 Census.
Vital rates are per 1,000 persons of the average permanent population, unless otherwise stated.
Natural increase: The difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths during the specified period. The data on natural increase presented in the tables are slightly different from one another, because the data in some tables are updated according to the late reports on deaths and due to changes in the method of calculation of the components of population growth after the 2008 Census.
Crude birth rate (CBR): The number of live births divided by the average population.
General fertility rate (GFR): Calculated by dividing the number of live births by the average population of women aged 15–49.
Age-specific fertility rate: Calculated by dividing the total number of live births for mothers in a given age group by the average population of women who were in the same age group that year.
Total fertility rate: The total fertility rate is calculated by summing up all of the specific fertility rates for mothers in every age group, then dividing the result by 1,000 and multiplying it by the duration of the age group.
Mother's age at birth: In the tables, age relates to the number of years a person completed on the last birthday.
As of 2012, the age is calculated according to the month and year of the birth and the month and year of the mother's birth.
The average age is:
Where:
x=age
fx= number of births to mothers at age x.
Up to 2011, the mother's age was computed according to her year of birth, and it was assumed that the date of birth is July 1st of that year. Hence, if the event (live birth) took place in the second half of the year, the age is equivalent to the difference between the year of the event and the year of the mother's birth; if the event took place in the first half of the year, the age is equivalent to the said difference less one.
The average age is:
Where:
x=age
fx= number of births to mothers at age x.
Since age refers to the last birthday, that is, to the number of full years a person has completed, a half a year should be added to the average age. For example: age 21 includes all those who have reached the age of 21 and have not yet reached the age of 22; therefore their average age is 21.5.
"Unknown" values: In some variables there are unknown values (for example: age, marital status and continent of birth of the newborn's mother). For the purpose of calculating the rates, percentages and averages, the "unknown" values were scattered according to the distribution of the known values. The absolute numbers remained unchanged.
What data can you find in the Central Bureau of Statistics on births and fertility?
The Demography Sector in the Central Bureau of Statistics produces and researches birth data and fertility patterns of the population of Israel. The data include series from 1955 and later years and are published according to the geographical and demographic characteristics of the newborn and his or her parents.
A partial list of the characteristics studied is as follows: The newborn's locality of residence and its characteristics (including the district and sub-district to which it belongs), sex of the newborn and his or her order of birth in relation to his or her siblings, type of birth (single or multiple foetuses), to which population group the newborn's parents belong, the parents' age and their countries of birth, the mother's marital status, and more.
Special symbols that appear in the tables:
Blank space = data unknown or irrelevant as a result of the table's structure
- = no cases
.. = rates, percentages, averages, etc. based on less than 5 cases
( ) = rates, percentages, averages, etc. based on 5 to 19 cases
Live birth
Definition: Birth of a foetus, that after being parted from the mother (whether the umbilical cord has been cut or not, whether the afterbirth [placenta] is still connected or not), shows at least one of the following signs of life: respiration, heartbeat, umbilical pulse or obvious movements of voluntary muscles.
Birth order
Definition: The numerical order of the live birth, recorded in relation to all previous live births of the mother.
Religion
Definition: The population is divided into the following groups according to the Population Register: Jews; Moslems; Christians (Arab Christians and Non-Arab Christians); Druze; and Not classified by religion (people who were not classified into one of these groups).
Multiple birth
Definition: A birth that includes more than one new-born, where at least one new-born is born alive.
Natural increase
Definition: The difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths during the year.
Sex ratio at birth
Definition: Number of boys born alive per 100 girls born alive.
Crude birth rate (CBR)
Definition: Number of live births per every 1,000 residents.
Total fertility rate (TFR)
Definition: Total fertility rate on a specific period is the average number of children that a woman is expected to bear during her lifetime, on the assumption that the following conditions will prevail while she is at childbearing age (15-49 years): (1) The woman's chances of bearing a child at all ages will be according to the specific fertility rates by age in the given period; (2) The woman will remain alive throughout her childbearing years.
Age-specific fertility rate
Definition: Number of live-births of women at a certain age per every 1,000 women of the same age.
General fertility rate (GFR)
Definition: Number of live-births of women at ages 15-49 per every 1,000 women of the same ages.
Gross reproduction rate (GRR)
Definition: The gross reproduction rate (GRR) for a certain period is the average number of daughters that a woman is expected to bear during her life, assuming that the following conditions exist during the woman's fertility period (between the ages of 15 and 49): 1. The woman's chances of giving birth at every age will be in accordance with existing specific fertility rates by age which existed during that period. 2. The sex ratio at birth is equal to the ratio that existed during that period. 3. The woman will live until the end of her fertility period.
Net reproduction rate (NRR)
Definition: The net reproduction rate for a certain period is the average number of daughters that a woman is expected to bear during her lifetime, assuming that the following conditions exist: 1. The woman's chances of giving birth at every age will be in accordance with the specific fertility rates by age which existed during that period. 2. The sex ratio at birth is equal to the ratio that existed during that period. 3. Mortality rates by age will be the same as those that existed during that period.
Replacement level (in fertility)
Definition: The level of fertility in which the size of the population remains stable over time. The level of fertility is estimated according to the total fertility rate.
Mother's age at birth
Definition: The age at birth is calculated according to the month and year of the birth and the month and year of the mother's birth.
Population of Israel
Definition: The population is defined on the basis of the permanent (de jure) population, and consists of permanent residents - Israeli citizens and permanent residents without Israeli citizenship (including those who had been out of the country less than one year at the time of the estimate).
Locality
Definition: A permanently inhabited place that meets the following criteria: a. It is usually inhabited by 40 or more adult residents; b. It has self-administration; c. It is not officially included in another locality. d. Its establishment was approved by the planning institutions.
Sample
Definition: A group of population units that were randomly selected to yield some knowledge about the population of concern.
