Official statistics indicate that the ongoing war in Ukraine has resulted in a significant decline in the country's birth rate, with a 28% decrease recorded, BBC reports.
In 1H 2023, only 96,755 children were born, compared to 135,079 in the same period in 2021. Although the birth rate has been declining over the past decade, this drop is the most substantial since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.
Ukraine's population, which was previously over 43mn, has been significantly impacted by the war, with nearly 6mn people fleeing the country, UN reports. The data, collected by the Ukrainian data analytics website Opendatabot, aligns with observations made by demographic experts, who have seen similar declines in birth rates during previous conflicts.
During civil conflicts like the current war in Ukraine, fertility rates typically fall by up to one-third, but experts believe that these rates could rebound once the conflict ends. Prior to the Russian invasion, Ukraine witnessed around 23,000 monthly births, which has now decreased to approximately 16,000.
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Despite the decline in births, there is not a significant gender imbalance, with the number of boys born slightly outnumbering girls. In the first half of 2023, 49,626 boys and 47,129 girls were born.
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