The proportion of women in Ireland giving birth for the first time in their 40s is higher than the EU average, new figures have shown.

According to the figures released by Eurostat, overall, women giving birth for the first time here are slightly older than the EU average. Currently, the majority of first-time births in the EU are to women in their 20s, however in Ireland, the majority (52%) are to women in their 30s.

Other countries where a majority of women are in their 30s having their first child include Spain (59%) and Greece (51%).

Meanwhile, 3.4% of first babies are born to women in their 40s here, which is higher than the EU average of 2.8%.

The figures also reveal that Ireland's teenage pregnancy rate - 4.7% - is lower than the EU average of 5.4%.

Eurostat also said that Ireland is noticeable for its large families. Over 17% of births are third births, which is much higher than the EU average of 11.8%. A further 9% of births are recorded as fourth or subsequent births, compared to an EU average of 5.4%.

Other countries with high rates of fourth or more babies include Finland (10.4%) and the UK (9.5%).