Queens had 90 percent of babies born to immigrants, second−lowest HV mortality rate in city: Health Department

By Philip Newman

The city Health Department reported that in parts of Queens, nearly 90 percent of births were to foreign−born women in 2007 and that HIV deaths declined to the lowest citywide, except for those in Staten Island.

These findings along with other detailed data were part of the department’s annual “Summary of Statistics for 2007,” the most recent year for which such information is available.

TimesLedger Newspapers carried the first installment on the report in its Jan. 15 edition.

HIV deaths declined in Queens to 106, far below the HIV death count in Brooklyn (335), the Bronx (336) and Manhattan (254) but were above Staten Island (30).

The Health Department said that of the 90,870 abortions in the city, Queens had 17,478, Brooklyn 29,008, the Bronx 20,208, Manhattan 12,730 and Staten Island 2,898.

Citywide, the leading cause of deaths of males aged 15−24 was homicide.

Nearly 44 percent of city births were to unmarried women, including 70 percent in the Bronx, 44.4 percent in Queens, 42.8 percent in Brooklyn, 35.1 percent in Manhattan and 33.3 percent in Staten Island.

Queens communities with the highest percentages of births to foreign−born women included Elmhurst at 89.6 percent, Jackson Heights at 85.2 percent, Flushing with 82.4 percent, Sunnyside⁄Woodside with 81.8 percent, Rego Park⁄Forest Hills at 72.1 percent, Woodhaven at 71.5, Fresh Meadows⁄Briarwood at 69.7 percent and Howard Beach with 67 percent.

Mexican−born women gave birth to more babies — 2,389 — than any other foreign nationalities in Queens, followed by China 2,290, Ecuador 1,879, Guyana 1,100, Dominican Republic 1,100, Bangladesh 977, India 895, Jamaica 798, Colombia 672, Korea 618 and Trinidad and Tobago 587.

Long Island Jewish Medical Center delivered the most babies in Queens (5,504), but was in third after Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn (7,226) and Mount Sinai in Manhattan (5,930).

June has long been the traditional month for June brides, but August was when the most couples wed — 7,062 to be exact.

The Health Department reported that Isabella, Sophia and Daniel have replaced Ashley and Michael in the top spots among favorite baby names.

“Michael had reigned uncontested since 1956, when he surpassed Robert as the boy name of choice,” a Health Department official said. “Jayden is now second−best among boys’ names.”

Among more unusual 2007 names for girls: Unique and Miracle; for boys: Achilles, Phoenix and Orion.

Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e−mail at news@timesledger.com or phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 136.