There's been a dramatic leap in the number of Asian women in New Zealand giving birth.

The Asian birth rate is now higher than that of European women.

Maternity figures for 2012 have just been released by the Ministry of Health.

Since 2008, the birth rate for Asian women has increased from 49.5 for every thousand females of reproductive age, to 61.5 now.

During that time there's been little variation for other ethnic groups.

The European rate is 59.5, and it's highest for Pacific and Maori women at 105.7 and 102.2 respectively.

The median age of women giving birth was 29.

And in 2012, 41 women gave birth twice.