Vital Statistics accounted for 1.1 million of heterosexual marriages, in 2014, where same-sex couples registered 4,854 weddings (0.4% of the occurrences). Throughout the time series of the survey (1974 to 2014), the average age for grooms went from 27 to 30 years old, whereas for brides it increased from 23 to 27 years old.  In relation to same-sex marriages, the average age was 34 years old both for men and women, in 2014. Between 1984 and 2014, the number of divorces grew from 30.8 thousand to 341.1 thousand. The overall divorce rate went from 0.44‰ (0.44 per a thousand inhabitants aged 20 or over), in 1984, to 2.41‰, in 2014, with the highest incidence in the Federal District (3.74‰) and the lowest in Amapá (1.02‰). The average age among women in the date of the divorce decree, in 2014, was 40 years old, whereas among men, it was 44 years old. Women still prevail being in charge of minor children after the divorce (85.1%, in 2014), joint custody grew from 3.5%, in 1984, to 7.5%, in 2014.

Vital Statistics show that, within four decades, the national average of the delayed birth records (up to a three-year delay ) fell from 26.1%, in 1974, to 3.2%, in 2014. However, this indicator remains high in the North and Northeast Regions: whereas in São Paulo it is 0.5%, in Acre it reaches 17.7%. In 2014, there are records of 2.9 million births, 2.9% higher than in 2013, but below the 3.1 million of 1982 - year of the highest number of births. The percentage of births in which mothers were 15 to 19 years old achieved 21.7% (2002), falling to 17.7%, in 2014, with the highest rate in the North (23.8%) and Northeast Regions (20.3%). Between 1974 and 2014, births in the group of mothers aged from 30 to 34 grew from 15.0% to 20.0%; whereas those of the group aged 35 to 39 increased from 7.4% to 10.0%. In 0.7% of the birth records (20,998), births happened at home, in 2014.

The percentage of deaths of children younger than five years old fell from 35.6%, in 1974, to 3.1%, in 2014, while the deaths of children younger than one year old fell from 28.2% to 2.7%, over these 40 years. The proportion of violent deaths, in relation to the total death records, grew from 6.4% to 10.2%, in these four decades, mainly among young men (84.2%, in 2014). In the 2004-2014 period, though, there was decrease in the male mortality by violent causes in the states of Rio de Janeiro (131.5 to 93.3 per each 100 thousand men) and São Paulo (125.7 to 91.6 per each 100 thousand men), whereas there was increase in Alagoas (73.0 to 160.8 per each 100 thousand youngsters) and Ceará (69.3 to 141.5 per each 100 thousand men).

The 2014 edition of Vital Statistics shows the changes the Brazilian society has gone through over a period of 40 years. The study results from the collection of information from the Civil Registry Offices of Individuals, Family Courts, Civil Courts and Notary Offices in the Country. In São Paulo, data result from the partnership between the IBGE and the State System for Data Analysis Foundation - SEADE.  Further information is available athttps://www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/populacao/registrocivil/2013/default.shtm

In 2014, marriages increased 5.1%, reaching more than 1.1 million

In 2014, 1.106.440 marriages were registered, which represented a rise of 5.1%, in relation to 2013. In absolute numbers, this represents 53,993 more marriages.

Among same-sex partners, in 2014, there were 4.854 marriages (0.4% of the total marriages), among which 50.3% (2,440) were between women and 49.7% (2,414) between men. Since May 14, when same-sex marriages began to be registered, until the end of the year 2013, 3,701 marriages were recorded. The Southeast (60.7%) concentrated the highest percentage of same-sex unions, followed in much smaller proportions by the South (15.4%); Northeast (13.6%); Central-West (6.9%) and North Regions (3.4%). In the Southeast Region, the greatest concentration of same-sex unions were seen in the state of São Paulowith 66.9 % for men and 71.9% for women.

Average marriage age is 30 for men and 27 for women

In the 1970's, there were high nuptiality rates, around 13‰ (13 marriages by a thousand inhabitants aged 15 or over). In the 1980's, these rates started to decline, presenting values around 11‰. In the 1990's, there was the sharpest decrease of the series, with the rate going from 7.96‰ to rates near 7‰ in the following decade. But between 2013 and 2014, the nuptiality rate grew from 6.9 ‰ to 7.1‰. Nuptiality rates were higher in the Central-West (8.04‰) and Southeast Regions (8.00‰), in 2014; at the state level, the highlights were Rondônia (10.88‰); Espírito Santo (8.73‰); Goiás (8.67‰); São Paulo(8.57‰) and the Federal District (8.30‰). The lowest nuptiality rates were seen in Amapá (4.26‰); Rio Grande do Sul (4.63‰); and in Maranhão (5.08‰).

Violent deaths among men fall in RJ and SP and grow in AL and CE

The contribution of violent deaths to the total deaths grew from 6.4% to 11.4%, between 1974 and 2004. In those years, violent deaths represented 76.2% and 83.9%, respectively. In 2014, violent deaths decreased to 10.2% of the total deaths, but the contribution of violent deaths among men achieved 84.2% of the total.

In the last 40 years, there was a significant high of violent deaths among male youngsters and young adults. In 2014, the age group from 20 to 24 years old, the number of male violent deaths was 4.9 times higher than that of the female population.

There was decrease in male mortality by violent causes by external causes, in the 2004-2014 period, in Rio de Janeiro (131.5 to 93.3 per each 100 thousand men) and São Paulo (125.7 to 91.6). Alagoas (73.0 to 160.8) and Ceará (69.3 to 141.5) were the Federation Units where violent deaths increased the most. Those two states had the highest percentages, in the group of 20 to 24 years old – 332.6 violent deaths for each 100 thousand youngsters, in Alagoas, and 264.8 for each 100 thousand youngsters in Ceará. In 2004, these figures were of 130.3 and 96.1, for this age group, respectively.

The average marriage age of single men, on the wedding date, went from 27 to 30 years old, between 1974 and 2014, whereas, for women, it went from 23 to 27 years old, in this period. In relation to same-sex spouses, the average age was 34 years old both for men and women, in 2014.

In the age groups of 15 to 19 years old and 20 to 24 years old, there was clearly in the last 40 years, a tendency for the reduction of marriages, pointing out to the postponement of these unions until older ages. For instance, in the set of women aged 20 to 24, the rate moved from 61.67‰, in 1974, to 30.01‰, in 2014. Conversely, from 1994 on, those aged 30 to 34, 35 to 39 and 45 to 49 presented growth in the nuptiality rate. For example, it more than doubles in the last twenty years in the group aged 30 to 34 (9.11‰, in 1994, to 21.40‰, in 2014). Marriage postponement may result from more time dedicated to studying, as well as from the search for job positions with higher salaries, especially, among younger persons.

Remarriages grow from 13.7% (2004) to 23.6% (2014) of total marriages

Although marriages between a single man and a single woman remain as the major set in relation to other marital statuses, this trend has decreased gradually throughout the years. Between 2004 and 2014, there was a reduction of 9.9 percentage points in this indicator (from 86.3% to 76.4%). Simultaneously, there was increase of the proportion of remarriages (when at least one of the spouses had as marital status divorced or widow), representing 23.6% of the total of legalized unions, in 2014, against the percentages of 13.7% (2004) and 17.6% (2009).

As to same-sex marriages, in the 2013-2014 period, there was also prevalence of unions between single persons, either among men (82.3%; 80.1%), or among women (75.5%, in both years). On the other hand, the proportion of remarriages was higher among women (24.3% and 24.5%). For men, this proportion was of 17.4% and 19.9%, respectively.

Divorces occur more in FD (3.74‰) and less in Amapá (1.02‰)

Between 1984 and 1994, the number of divorces granted more than tripled, going from 30,847 to 94,126. In 2004, there was a moderate acceleration in the number of granted divorce records, which totaled 130,527, with evidence of a 38.7% increase in relation to the previous decade. In 2014, 341,181 divorces were granted, a growth of 161.4% in relation to the previous decade and of 5.0% over 2013.

In 2014, the general divorce rate was of 2.41‰ (2.41 by thousand inhabitants aged 20 or over) and had little increase over 2013 (2.33‰). In 2012, the highest value of the time series (which began in 1984) occurred: the divorce rate reached 2.49‰. In 2014, there was a light growing trend in this indicator in all regions of the country, with a highlight to the Central-West Region (3.14‰); the Southeast (2.60‰); and the South (2.55‰). The highest figures were seen in the Federal District (3.74‰); Rondônia (3.71‰); Mato Grosso do Sul (3.63‰); Roraima (3.43‰) and São Paulo (3.14‰). The lowest rate were found in the states of Amapá (1.02‰); Piauí (1.31‰); Maranhão (1.54‰); Rio de Janeiro (1.55‰); Sergipe (1.60‰) and Rio Grande do Norte (1.66‰).

Average duration of marriages falls from 19 to 15 years in four decades

The average marriage age of men getting a divorce went from 44 to 43 years old, between 1984 and 2014, whereas for women it was 40 years old, in both periods. For men, the lowest average age, in 2014, was seen in Acre: 41 years old. Among women, the lowest average age, of 38 years old, was seen in the states of Rondônia and Acre.

In the 1984/2014 period, there was reduction in marriage length, from 19 to 15 years old (average time from the wedding date and the divorce decree or certificate). In 2014, weddings lasted longer, on average, in the Northeast and South Regions (16 years old in both). Among the states, Piauí stood out with 18 years.

There was a percentage growth in the proportion of marriage dissolution of couples with just minor children, of 43.6% (1984), to 48.1% (2014). In the other kinds of families, there was reduction of the proportion in relation to the total of divorces: among couples without children, from 29.6% to 26.5%; with justchildren at or over the age of majority, from 17.9% to 17.5%; with minor children and children at or over the age of majority, from 8.9% to 7.9%, between 1984 and 2014.

Joint custody grows from 3.5% to 7.5% of the divorces between 1984 and 2014

Along the series of Vital Statistics, there was prevalence of women in charge of minor children after the divorce, growing from 78.9% of the cases, in 1984, to 85.1%, in 2014. This percentage, however, had been higher in the two previous decades: 89.7% in 2004 and 88.0%, in 1994.

Among the Federation Units, in 2014, the highest percentage of women with child custody was recorded in Sergipe (93.0%), while the highest percentage of men with such a responsibility occurred in Amapá (in 25.8% of the divorces). The lowest percentages of male custody of children were recorded, besides Sergipe (3.1%); in Ceará (4.0%); Rio de Janeiro (4.1%); Rio Grande do Norte (4.2%); and São Paulo (4.5%).

Between 1984 and 2014, joint custody (Law no 6,515, of December 26, 1977) grew from 3.5% to 7.5% in the cases of divorce. Among Federation Units, Maranhão (12.4%); Amazonas (10.8%); Paraná (10.7%); and the Federal District (10.4%) registered the highest percentages of divorce with joint custody, whereas Sergipe (3.7%) and Rio de Janeiro (4.3%) registered the lowest proportions.

Delayed birth record registration falls 3.2% in the country, but remains high in the North and Northeast

Starting in 1974, when vital records studies began, 2.2 million births were recorded, there was an upward trend of this indicator, reaching, in 1982, the top rate (3.2 million births). In 2014, there were 2.9 million births, which represent a growth of 2.9% in relation to the records of 2013.

Delayed records of persons within 10 years of age fell from 55.7%, in 1974, to 31.1%, in 1980. After this year, the percentage oscillated, between 25.4% (1988) and 39.3% (1995), falling to 21.6% in 1999 and kept falling until 2004 (last year available to the 10 year analysis), achieving 10.2%.

The national average of delayed birth certificates (up to a three-year delay) fell from 26.1%, in relation to the births registered in 1974, to 3.2%, to those registered in 2011. The highest percentages of late records are seen in the states of the North and Northeast: Acre (17.7%), Amazonas (15.2%), Pará (14.9%), Amapá (12.8%), Roraima (11.7%), Maranhão (10.4%) and Piauí (6.7%). São Paulo, on the other hand, revealed the lowest percentage (0.5%) of delayed birth records with up to a three-year delay.

The under-registration of births (based on the comparison between birth records and population projections) was estimated, in 1980, at 23.8%. From 2001 on (22.1%), the under-registration had a constant downward trend, reaching 1.0%, in 2014. Almost extinguished in the Southeast, South and Central-West Regions, the under-registration remained high in the North (12.5%) and Northeast (11.9%).

20,998 birth records (0.7%) were home births in 2014

The analysis of births by mother’s age groups, in the 40 years of the survey, indicates that the percentage of births for mothers aged 15 to 19 increased from 12.6% (1976) up to 21.4% (2000), falling to 17.7%, in 2014.

Births from mothers aged 20 to 24, which in 1976 corresponded to 32% of the births in Brazil, in 2014 corresponded to 25.3% of the total births. The group of births of mothers aged 25 to 29 changed from 27.2% of total births (1974) to 24.6%, in 2014. In this same period, births in the group of mothers aged 30 to 34 increased the participation in the total births in the country, from 15.3% to 20.0%; and the group aged 35 to 39 years old, from 8.8% to 10.0%. The distribution of births by mothers’ age groups, according to Major Regions, indicates that in the North Region, in 2014, births were concentrated in the group of 20 to 24 years old, the youngest group in Brazil. The South and Southeast Regions presented an older profile, with births less concentrated in one single age group, with the mothers of 20 to 34 years of age gaining weight.   

Along the 40 years of the survey, hospital births prevail, growing from 62.0% (1974) to 99.0% (2014). Since 1996, the percentage of children born in hospitals is above 95.0% of the registered births. Home births were 20,998, 0.7% of the birth records, in 2014.

Deaths of children below five fall from 35.6% to 3.1% in 40 years

In 1974, deaths of children below one year old represented 28.2% of the total deaths; whereas those of children below five represented 35.6%. With the drop of mortality rates in these age groups, these percentages became 2.7% and 3.1%, in 2014, respectively. Deaths of people aged 65 or over, which represented 27.3% of the total in 1974, became 37.3% (1984) and 44.9% (1994), in the following decades. In 2004, deaths in this age group already represented more than half of the total (52.1%), reaching 57.0%, in 2014.