Iran Fights Dwindling Birth Rates

Government scraps family planning in effort to encourage couples to have children as birth rate drops to one percent.

Baby Gap: Germany's Birth Rate Hits Historic Low
TIME: Germany is shrinking — fast. New figures released on May 17 show the birth rate in Europe's biggest economy has plummeted to a historic low, dropping to a level not seen since 1946. As demographers warn of the consequences of not making enough babies to replace and support an aging population, the latest figures have triggered a bout of national soul-searching and cast a harsh light on Chancellor Angela Merkel's family policies.

According to a preliminary analysis by the Federal Statistics Office, 651,000 children were born in Germany in 2009 — 30,000 fewer than in 2008, a dip of 3.6%. In 1990, German mothers were having on average 1.5 children each; today that average is down to 1.38 children per mother. With a shortfall of 190,000 between the number of people who died and the number of children who were born, Germany's birth rate is well below the level required to keep the population stable.

"The German birth rate has remained remarkably flat over the past few years while it has increased in other low-fertility countries, like Italy and the Czech Republic," Joshua Goldstein, executive director of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, tells TIME. "Women are continuing to postpone motherhood to an older age and this process of postponement is temporarily lowering the birth rate." According to Goldstein's research, Germany has the longest history of low fertility in Europe. >>> Tristana Moore, Berlin | Sunday, May 23, 2010

Birth Rate Rising in Canada
Figures from 2007 show fastest annual increase since 1989, with particular boost from mothers aged 30 to 34. Photo: The Globe and Mail
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Canadian women gave birth to 367,864 babies in 2007, 13,247 or 3.7-per-cent more than in 2006.

That's the fastest annual increase since 1989.

Statistics Canada reports the number of births rose in all age groups, particularly among mothers aged 30 to 34, and in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island and Yukon.

The agency says the total fertility rate, or the average number of children per woman, increased to 1.66 in 2007 from 1.59 in 2006.

While this was the highest total fertility rate since 1992, Statscan says it remained well below replacement level of 2.1 children per woman: That's the fertility rate that must be maintained to replace the population in the absence of migration. >>> Canadian Press, Ottawa | Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Birth Rate Drops Amid Recession
THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Decline first annual dip since start of decade

ATLANTA | There aren't just fewer jobs in a recession. There are fewer babies, too.

U.S. births fell in 2008, the first full year of the recession, marking the first annual decline in births since the start of the decade and ending an American baby boomlet.

The downturn in the economy best explains the drop in maternity, some experts believe. The Great Depression and subsequent recessions all were accompanied by a decline in births, said Carol Hogue, an Emory University professor of maternal and child health and epidemiology.

And the numbers have never rebounded until the economy pulled out of it, she said, calling the 2008 recession the most likely culprit for fewer babies.

It's not clear that it's the only explanation, however. Another expert noted a recent decline in immigration to the U.S. may also be a factor.

The nation recorded about 4,247,000 births last year, down about 68,000 from 2007, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics.

This recession began in December 2007, and since then the economy has lost almost 7 million jobs. Housing foreclosures worsened in 2007 too, and fell into a state of crisis in 2008.

The largest decline in births were in California and Florida, two states hit hardest by the housing crisis. >>> Mike Stobbe, Associated Press | Saturday, August 08, 2009

UK’s Foreign Baby Boom
Photo: Google Images
DAILY EXPRESS: A MIGRANT baby boom is sending Britain’s population soaring with one in four children now born to foreign mothers.

Of the 708,708 births last year, 170,089 or 24 per cent were to immigrant mothers. It is the highest number of migrant births in the UK since records began.


The increase will worry ministers because it threatens to put even more pressure on public services, with schools and hospitals already struggling to cope.

Sir Andrew Green, of the respected think tank Migrationwatch UK, said: “These ­figures illustrate the massive impact immigration is having, not only on our population but also on our society.


“It’s no wonder our polls show nearly 80 per cent of ­people are concerned about the high level of immigration to the UK and more than 70 per cent want to see a huge cut.


“The number of babies born to immigrant mothers is a clear-cut example of the pressure that massive numbers of immigrants place on our public services.”


Such is the rapid increase in the migrant birth rate that this year it is expected to be the biggest cause of population growth, outstripping immig­ration for the first time. >>> By Sarah O'Grady, Social Affairs Correspondent | Friday, May 22, 2009