In 2012-2013, about 500,000 children were born annually in Ukraine, but already in 2015-2016, the birth rate began to decline sharply. After the start of the war in 2023, the number of newborns dropped to 180,000, which is a much smaller figure compared to previous years. This demographic decline is a serious concern.
This was stated by First Deputy Minister of Health Serhiy Dubrov during the conference “Actual issues of sexual and reproductive health in conditions of demographic crisis”. He emphasized that the situation is critical and emphasized the need for the government to adopt decisive measures to correct the demographic situation.
“The state and the government must make serious decisions that can improve this demographic situation. This is a complex problem that requires the attention of the entire government. After all, in 2024 the number of newborns will be even lower than last year.”, — noted Dubrov.
He also recalled the forecasts of the Institute of Demographic Research, according to which at the beginning of 2022, the population of Ukraine was 41.6 million people, and by July 2024 it would decrease to 35.8 million. The forecast for 2051 predicts an even greater loss of population, up to 25.2 million people.
One of the important steps taken by the Ministry of Health was the implementation of the reproductive fertilization program. As of early October 2024, 700 women have used this service, which is an important step towards solving the problem of declining birth rates.
