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Four out of five Māori mothers give birth out of wedlock in what is an increasing trend away from marriage being a part of forming a family.
Statistics New Zealand says in the March quarter 48 percent of births were ex-nuptial, with only 1000 more children born to married parents as unmarried.
Thirty years ago the gap was close to 30,000, and in 1951 just 2000 children were born to unmarried parents, compared with 48,000 born to married parents.
Māori women were most likely to give birth out of wedlock, followed by 50 percent of Pākehā women and only 13 percent of Asian women.
Only 25 in every 1000 ex-nuptial births are by women aged from 15 to 19.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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