Aisha Tukur
The number of births in Scotland has fallen to its lowest ever recorded level.
Last year there were 45,935 live births, a 2% fall on 2022 and the lowest total since records began in 1855, according to National Records of Scotland (NRS).
Infant mortality rose to four per 1,000 live births – the highest since 2011 though it remains low in historical terms.
However, the overall death rate for Scotland’s population fell back to normal levels for the first time since the Covid pandemic.
NRS said there were 63,455 registered deaths in 2023 – a 1% increase but taking into account the growing and ageing population it was in line with expectations.
Smaller families
The falling birth rate is a long-term trend in Scotland, and without migration the overall population – which is currently at a record high – would be falling.
There were 17,510 more deaths than births in 2023.
Just over half of births (53%) were to unmarried parents and the most common age for mothers was in the 30-34 age group, followed by women in their late 20s.
The birth rate among teenagers has fallen over time, but rose slightly last year.
Phillipa Haxton, head of vital events statistics at PHS, said the the figures reflected the “the move towards smaller families.”
The fertility rate – the average number of children a group of women would expect to have – was lowest in Edinburgh, followed by Glasgow.
Generally fertility rates were highest in the most deprived areas, and lowest in the least deprived.
Death rates
For the past three years Scotland has seen “excess deaths”- between 4.9% and 9.4% above expected levels – driven by the Covid pandemic.
The figures have now returned to normal levels, in line with what would be expected once changes in the size and age profile of the population are factored in.
“We’re seeing the number of excess deaths falling after three years when they were higher due to the impact of the pandemic,” said Ms Haxton.
The leading cause of death was ischaemic heart disease (11%) followed by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (10%).
The rate of still births was unchanged (3.7 per 1,000) but there was an increase in the rate of infant deaths.
There were 184 such deaths involving children under the age of one, a rate of 4.0 per 1,000 which was the highest figure since a rate of 4.01 was recorded in 2011.
The majority of these deaths (122) occurred in the first four weeks after birth.
