Sweden recorded its lowest birthrate since 2003 last year, with 99,000 babies born in 2024. The average age of first-time mothers was also over 30.
Fewer and fewer children are being born in Sweden, and the average age of women giving birth for the first time has risen to over 30, according to a report published by the government’s Health and Welfare Board, cited by wPolityce.
“The number of births per thousand women aged 15-49 fell to 41.8, which is the lowest level since 1973, when this type of data began to be collected,” said statistician Mikael Ohlin.
Meanwhile, moms are getting older, with the average age of first-time mothers 30.1 years, reaching as high as 31.5 in Stockholm, and the percentage of women who are overweight or obese has almost doubled since the early 1990s, raising concerns about how this has additionally impacted fertility and mothers’ health.
According to the Health and Welfare Council, the decline in birth rates is accompanied by an increase in risk factors for pregnant women. “This poses increasing challenges for both maternal and obstetric health care,” noted Professor Angela Mantel of the Karolinska Institutet and a consultant to the council.
In Sweden, the fertility rate in 2024 was 1.43, the lowest since 1751, despite an extensive social security system and preschool network.
Due to the alarming statistics, the government commissioned a group of experts from various fields to prepare a report. The findings of the analysis are to be presented in mid-2026, identifying obstacles and proposing specific solutions.
Anna Bjoerklund, a popular podcaster and member of this group, believes the decline in fertility may be due to people in their child-bearing years having been raised online and seeing children as a distraction and burden.
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