Swiss birth rate sees major decline
Significantly fewer babies were born in Switzerland in 2022 than in the previous year. At the same time, infant mortality increased slightly, according to a report by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
After the child-rich year of 2021, the number of births in 2022 fell by about 8% to 82,371, according to the statistics on natural population movements published by the FSO on Thursday.
+ Why was there a baby boom in 2021?
According to the FSO, there are several possible reasons for this: the financial situation and fears about the future may have influenced family planning in Switzerland, but the child-rich year of 2021 may also have had an impact.
Infant mortality increased from 3.1 deaths per 1000 live births to 3.8. Infant mortality is caused primarily by deaths within the first 24 hours, the FSO said. About 60% of deaths in the first year of life occurred during the first day.
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