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Aimee Stanton from BBC Scotland reported that Scotland saw a significant drop in the number of babies born last year, according to statistics from the National Records of Scotland (NRS). The data revealed that there were 45,763 live births registered in 2024, which is 172 fewer than in 2023, marking the lowest number since records began in 1855. Additionally, the average number of babies per group of women declined from 1.27 to 1.25. The NRS pointed out that for a population to maintain itself without migration, the total fertility rate needs to be around 2.1.
The NRS also highlighted some key findings from their report, indicating that the stillbirth rate was at 3.5 for every thousand live and still births, the lowest recorded figure, and the infant death rate decreased to 3.5 per thousand live births from 4.0 in 2023. Furthermore, there were 16,528 more deaths than births in 2024, with the last instance of more births than deaths occurring in 2014. The gap between births and deaths has been widening since then, showcasing long-term changes in the population of Scotland.
Interestingly, the statistics revealed a shift in motherhood trends across Scotland, with fewer births recorded among women in their 20s since the 1960s. Most babies in recent years have been born to mothers in the 30 to 34 age group, accounting for over a third (35.7%) of births in 2024. Additionally, a majority of babies (51.7%) were born to unmarried parents, underscoring the changing landscape of family structures in Scotland. The article also highlighted the varying fertility rates across different parts of Scotland, with major cities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen experiencing the lowest rates, while regions like Midlothian, East Renfrewshire, and Na h-Eileanan Siar had higher fertility rates.
In a global context, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released a report in June this year detailing a decline in fertility rates worldwide. The report pointed out that many individuals are unable to have the number of children they desire due to factors such as the high cost of parenthood and the lack of suitable partners. The survey conducted by UNFPA across 14 countries, which represent a third of the global population, revealed that one in five respondents reported not achieving or expecting to achieve their desired number of children
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