Italy hit a new negative record for births in 2021, registering just 400.249 babies in the period, a drop of 1,1% (-4.643) compared to the previous year, the National Institute of Statistics reported (Istat) this Monday (19).
According to the report, preliminary data for 2022 follows the same trend. Between January and September, there are already around six thousand fewer births than in the same period last year.
The average number of children per woman increased slightly, from 1,24 in 2020 to 1,25 in 2021 – largely due to the drop in the country's total population. In the period between 2008-2010, the index was 1,44.
Istat points out that since 2008, the beginning of the historical series, births in Italy have decreased by 30,6% – 176.410 in total numbers -, which can be attributed almost entirely to the drop in births when both parents are Italian (314.371 in 2021 , almost 166 thousand less than 14 years ago).
The biggest drop occurred when the parents are formally married, with 240.428 births, almost 20 thousand fewer than in 2020 and 223 thousand fewer than in 2008.
One of the reasons cited by Istat for births “outside” marriage is the fact that many people postponed formal marriage in 2021 due to the health restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic. In preliminary numbers, the retraction was 47,4%.
This Monday's data corroborates another report released by Istat on the 15th, which pointed out that, in 2021, the country's total population maintained the downward trend seen in recent years. In total, Italy had 59.030.133 people on December 31 last year, 0,3% less than in 2020. (HANDLE).
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