| Denmark | Finland* | Norway | Sweden | ||||||||||||
| 1981–1985 | 1986–1990 | 1991–1995 | 1996–2000 | 1987–1990 | 1991–1995 | 1996–2000 | 1981–1985 | 1986–1990 | 1991–1995 | 1996–2000 | 1981–1985 | 1986–1990 | 1991–1995 | 1996–2000 | |
| No of infants | 234 971 | 266 077 | 289 043 | 272 648 | 234 195 | 300 434 | 262 478 | 233 009 | 239 346 | 240 685 | 233 009 | 420 224 | 494 439 | 487 111 | 359 788 |
| Mother’s education (years) | |||||||||||||||
| <10 | 31.9 | 26.3 | 21.5 | 18.8 | 15.6 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 9.2 | 7.3 | 5.6 | 15 | 11.8 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| 10–12 | 37.5 | 42.1 | 46.7 | 46.7 | 45.1 | 44.1 | 41.3 | 56.7 | 57.1 | 56.9 | 53.6 | 52.5 | 57.6 | 61.1 | 60.7 |
| >12 | 29.4 | 30.8 | 31.1 | 34.0 | 39.3 | 42.8 | 46.1 | 30.2 | 33.2 | 35.5 | 40.2 | 31 | 30.1 | 29.2 | 30.2 |
| Missing | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.2 | |||
| Father’s education (years) | |||||||||||||||
| <10 | 26.3 | 24.6 | 22.0 | 19.1 | 24.4 | 20.9 | 18.2 | 12.5 | 10.4 | 8.6 | 6.8 | 23.5 | 19.8 | 15.5 | 12.3 |
| 10–12 | 47.3 | 48.4 | 49.3 | 48.8 | 43.1 | 44.9 | 46.2 | 48.7 | 52.2 | 54.5 | 53.8 | 52.1 | 58.6 | 63.5 | 64.6 |
| >12 | 24.1 | 24.9 | 27.1 | 30.9 | 32.5 | 34.2 | 35.6 | 29.8 | 31.2 | 32.5 | 34.8 | 21.6 | 20.2 | 20.2 | 22.2 |
| Missing | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 9.0 | 6.2 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.9 | |||
| Parental age (years) | |||||||||||||||
| Mother’s mean age | 26.8 | 27.6 | 28.5 | 29.3 | 28.5 | 28.8 | 29.4 | 26.6 | 27.2 | 28.0 | 28.8 | 27.7 | 28.0 | 28.4 | 29.4 |
| Father’s mean age | 29.8 | 30.5 | 31.1 | 31.8 | 30.9 | 31.2 | 31.7 | 30.2 | 30.7 | 31.4 | 31.8 | 31.0 | 31.3 | 31.6 | 32.3 |
| Young mothers (<20 years) | 4.0 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 6.2 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Young fathers (<25 years) | 15.9 | 13 | 9.1 | 7 | 11.7 | 10.1 | 10.2 | 11.9 | 11.2 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 10.8 | 11.2 | 8.9 | 6.5 |
| Old mothers (>34 years) | 6.9 | 8.3 | 10.3 | 13.2 | 13.5 | 14 | 17.2 | 7.3 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 13.1 | 10.5 | 11.3 | 12.2 | 14.9 |
| Old fathers (>39 years) | 4.9 | 6.8 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 9.7 | 4.9 | 6.4 | 8.2 | 9.3 | 7.1 | 9 | 9.7 | 10.6 |
| Parity | |||||||||||||||
| First child | 46.1 | 46.8 | 44.6 | 43.2 | 39.8 | 40 | 40.3 | 43.2 | 44.5 | 42.4 | 41 | 40.8 | 42.5 | 40.7 | 42.7 |
| Not first child | 53.9 | 53.3 | 55.4 | 56.8 | 60.3 | 60 | 59.7 | 56.8 | 55.5 | 57.6 | 59.1 | 59.2 | 57.5 | 59.3 | 57.3 |
| Father known | |||||||||||||||
| Not known | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 8.3 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Known | 99.3 | 99.3 | 98.4 | 97.7 | 98.7 | 98.8 | 98.7 | 91.7 | 94.6 | 96.6 | 97.7 | 99.4 | 99.4 | 99.5 | 99.5 |
| Birthweight (g) | |||||||||||||||
| Mean | 3416 | 3451 | 3506 | 3555 | 3589 | 3589 | 3564 | 3538 | 3539 | 3572 | 3609 | 3512 | 3526 | 3565 | 3592 |
| Gestational age (weeks) | |||||||||||||||
| 28⩽ × ⩽32 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| 32⩽ × ⩽36 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.0 |
*Deceased infants are counted once; infants from the random 50% sample are counted twice. Total observed sample size is 400 442.
Children born in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden 1981–2000. Percentages unless otherwise noted.