The birth rate in France has been on the rise since last March. An expected recovery after a less fruitful year.
- After a sensitive bass due to the health crisis, the n
- Due to the health crisis, the birth rate fell significantly in France until the beginning of 2021
- Early summer figures point to uptick in births
In July 2021, there were slightly more births than at the same time last year, i.e. 62,600 against 62,400, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE). A rise observed in recent months and yet still unexpected at the start of the year: in January, there were 13% fewer births than at the same period in 2020. At the national level, the regions where women make the more children this year are from Brittany and Occitania.
Fewer births in 2020 due to confinement…
According to INSEE, the reason for the drop in the birth rate in 2020 is the first confinement, the consequences of which were observed at the end of last year. Indeed, in December 2020, there were 7% fewer births than in December 2019. This decline continued until a slight increase in February, where the number nevertheless remained lower than the previous year: -5% on average per day. It was only from March that births numerically exceeded those of 2020 at the same period, i.e. 1% more. Due to confinement, many parents have postponed their plans to have a child. Some were afraid that their baby would contract Covid-19. The uncertainty and economic instability generated by the health crisis could also explain this phenomenon. Finally, last factor: the closure of medically assisted procreation centers for a long time due to the epidemic.
The decline in the birth rate has been observable for several years in France
According to National Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), there were 6,000 fewer births in 2019 compared to the previous year: 753,000 babies compared to 761,000 in 2018, a decrease of 0.7% between the two years. An unfortunately constant trend for five years: -2.4% in 2015, -1.9% in 2016, -1.8% in 2017, -1.4% in 2018 to drop below the 1% mark l ‘Next year. The result is a reduction in the number of children per woman, measured by the total fertility indicator (ICF). Between 2006 and 2014, it was 2 children per woman, in 2019 it was 1.87… The figures are therefore unequivocal: over the years, French women have fewer and fewer babies. A national problem because the generation renewal threshold is set at 2.1 children per woman.
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