Demographers told about influence of a pandemic for fertility in developed countries

COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the birth rate immediately in 18 developed countries of the world, but it was most important in the south of Europe. This was stated by European and American demographers under the leadership of Saders, head of the Cornell University of Cornell University, Head of the University of Cornell University. Results of scientists are published in PNAS log.

As demographers found out, in 7 of the 22 countries considered a significant decrease in fertility exceeding the predicted values. In particular, in Portugal, Spain and Italy, this indicator fell by 6-9 percent. In Austria and Belgium, it decreased by 5.2-5.5 percent compared with the dock values.

Researchers also refer to the data of surveys conducted at the early stage of the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Then 73 percent of those who planned to have a child in 2020, decided to postpone or completely refused their plans. In the United States recorded a decline in the birth rate in 2020 by 3.8 percent compared with 2019.

At the same time, scientists have found that in the Northern European countries, the birth rate has grown over the past year and a half. According to Sanders and his colleagues, the reason for this can be in a relatively small scale of a pandemic in these states, as well as in the presence of a developed system of social support on their territory.

Earlier in the US, for the first time since 1790, a decrease in the number of white population was recorded. Also in percentage of his share was less than 60 percent, dropping to 57.8 percent in 2020.

/Media reports.