Decline in birth rate reaches 1.35 children per woman per birth - Decrease in Birth Rate Reaches 1.35 Children Per Woman per Birth
The latest data from the Federal Office, based in Wiesbaden, Germany, reveals a concerning trend in the country's birth rate. In 2023, Germany saw a 2% decrease in the overall birth rate, with 677,117 children born - a decline from the previous year. This downward trend is particularly evident among women with German citizenship, whose fertility rate dropped by 3% to 1.23 children per woman, a level not seen since 1996 [1][4][5].
One of the main factors contributing to this decrease is the trend of later parenthood. In 2024, the average age at first birth was 30.4 years for mothers and 33.3 years for fathers, a steady increase over the past decade [1]. This delay in starting families tends to reduce the number of children women have overall.
The birth rate decline is more pronounced among women with German citizenship compared to women with foreign citizenship, though both groups are experiencing declines. Women with foreign citizenship had a higher fertility rate of 1.84 but also saw a 2% decline. The birth rate among foreign women has decreased almost continuously since 2017 [1].
Germany's decreasing birth rate mirrors a broader trend across the European Union. The average fertility rate in the EU was about 1.38 children per woman in 2023, down from 1.51 a decade earlier [1]. Germany's fertility rate of 1.35 is slightly below the EU average, indicating Germany is among the countries with lower birth rates but consistent with the overall EU pattern of decreasing fertility.
The birth rate among the federal states varies, with the lowest being 1.21 in Berlin and the highest being 1.42 in Lower Saxony. Thuringia had a birth rate of 1.24 in 2023, a decrease of 7% from the previous year, and the strongest decrease was observed in Thuringia, while the smallest was in Baden-Württemberg, which saw a 1% decrease [1][4].
The annual decline in the birth rate for women with German citizenship has also weakened, according to the Federal Office. This suggests that while the trend of delayed parenthood and decreasing birth rates continues, the pace of decline may be slowing down slightly [1].
As Germany and the EU grapple with the implications of decreasing birth rates, efforts are being made to address the root causes and encourage family formation. Understanding the factors driving this trend is crucial in developing effective strategies to support families and maintain a healthy population growth.
[1] Data obtained from the Federal Office, Germany's official source for birth rate trends in Germany and Europe.
Vocational training programs, targeted at different age groups within the community, could potentially encourage younger individuals to consider starting families earlier by providing them with the skills needed for various professions, supporting a healthy work-life balance and contributing to an uptick in the birth rate. The integration of science-based health-and-wellness educational courses into these programs could provide expectant mothers with valuable information on nutrition, fitness-and-exercise, and lifestyle modifications to improve the health of themselves and their babies.
By understanding family dynamics and relationships, policymakers and educational institutions could develop more comprehensive vocational programs to provide holistic support that addresses the unique challenges confronted by mothers and families in the workforce. A focus on educating both genders on the importance of shared responsibilities in family life, coupled with effective transition programs, might help foster a more balanced distributed of caregiving responsibilities within the family, encouraging younger generations to start families sooner.
The latest data from the Federal Office shows that the birth rate among women with foreign citizenship is still higher than those with German citizenship, yet both groups are experiencing a decline. Strengthening community policies around vocational training, health-and-wellness, and work-life balance can help bridge this gap, encouraging all women to have more children and contributing to a healthier population growth across Germany and the EU.
In order to maintain a sustainable and healthy population, it is essential to address the root causes of declining birth rates through a comprehensive approach that includes targeted education, vocational training, and family-supportive policies. These efforts must extend to both the federal and local levels to ensure a coordinated and effective action plan with a focus on achieving a long-term goal of stabilizing and eventually increasing the overall birth rate in Germany and the EU.
