The drop in births continued in France in 2024 according to INSEE

However, although the decline continues, it turns out to be less drastic than last year. In the space of ten years, The number of births dropped by 19 % compared to 2014an even more pronounced decline since the 2010 peak, with a decrease of 22 %. This trend affects all age groups, although the youngest women, especially those under the age of 35, are the most concerned. The drop is particularly notable among those under 25 (-4.2 %)followed by women aged 25 to 29 (-3.6 %) and 30 to 34 (-3.3 %). INSEE specifies that for those under 30, this decrease is part of a long -term phenomenon, linked to a decline in the age of maternity. In 2024, the average age of mothers to childbirth was 31.4 years.

This decrease in the number of births in France is mainly due to lower fertility, and not to a decrease in the number of women of age to have children. Since 2015, the female population of childcare has remained stablewhether among 20-39 year olds or 15-49 year olds. Consequently, the drop in births in France in recent years mainly reflects a decline in fertility.

This phenomenon is not isolated in Europe, where fertility is also down. In 2023, the European Union recorded a decrease of 5.4 % in the number of births Compared to the previous year. Over the past decade, the decline reached 15 %, largely linked to the reduction in the number of women of childbearing age. But if France experiences a more marked decrease in fertility compared to the European average, it retains A fertility rate among the highest on the continenteven if Bulgaria has recently exceeded France in this area.