3.67 million babies were born in the European Union in 2023 – a 5.4% decrease compared to 2022, according to data released on Friday by the European Statistics office, Eurostat. This is the largest annual decline since 1961.
In the most recent data available, women in the EU gave birth to an average of 1.38 children in 2023, down from 1.46 in the previous year.
Belgian women had a slightly higher average of 1.47 children per woman. Bulgaria recorded the highest average with 1.81 children per woman, while Malta had the lowest at 1.06.
A fertility rate below 1.3 children per woman is considered very low. A rate of 2.1 children per woman is needed to maintain the population replacement level. Despite expectations of a baby boom during the COVID-19 pandemic, data shows otherwise.
In 2020 and 2021, the average was 1.51 and 1.53 children per woman, respectively. This is still lower than the 1.57 average recorded in 2008 and 2010.
European women are also having their first child at increasingly older ages. The average age for a first childbirth was 28.8 years in 2013, rising to 29.8 years now. This trend might be linked to improved fertility rates among women over 30.
