As reported by Statistics Finland on Friday, the European country recorded the lowest fertility rate on record in 2022.
"The total fertility rate was 1.32 in 2022, which is the lowest birth rate since monitoring began in the year 1776," the agency said, noting that the number of children born was 44 951 children.
In 2021, the figure was 1.46, which represents an increase in the fertility rate recorded in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it rose from 1.35 in 2019.
This slight upward trend in births has not been steady over time and is well below that recorded about a decade ago, in 2010, when the Finnish fertility rate was 1.87.
As for the proportion of firstborns among newborns, the trend has seen a slight increase, with 43 percent in 2022, while in 2018 it was 41 percent.
On the other hand, the number of second and third births decreased last year: 19 500 were firstborns, 14 900 second, 6 100 third, and about 4 400 fourth and later.
According to Statistics Finland, this decline is due to families opting not to have a second or third child. Finnish researchers say the declining fertility rate is related to cultural and social changes leading to higher standards for starting a family.