Published on: 26 June 2019

Fewer births and more deaths, higher natural decrease

In the first four months of 2019, the number of births was 2.7% less and that of deaths 0.8% more than in the corresponding period of 2018 according to preliminary data. As a result, the natural decrease grew by 6.0% or 1,135 compared to January–April 2018. In April 2019, the number of live births rose by 2.5% and that of deaths declined by 3.6% compared to the same month of the previous year. The natural decrease of 3,280 in April was 14% lower than a year earlier.

In April 2019:

6,887 children were born, 2.5% or 170 infants more than in the fourth month of 2018.

10,167 people lost their lives, which was 3.6% less or 375 fewer than in the corresponding month of the previous year.

The number of births rose and that of deaths dropped, as a result of which the natural decrease over the month was 3,280 as opposed to 3,825 in April 2018, which meant an improvement of 14%.

The number of marriages grew, 3,572 couples got married, which was 7.4% or 246 matrimonies more than in April 2018.

In January–April 2019:

27,734 children were born, which was 757 or 2.7% lower than the number of births in the first four months of 2018. There were 4.3% less live births in January–March on average and 2.5% more in April than one year earlier.

The estimated total fertility rate was 1.40 per woman, compared with 1.43 for the first four months of the previous year.

47,929 people died, 0.8% or 378 more than in the same period of the previous year. The increase was due to an extremely high number of deaths in January, which latter could be caused by the peak of the flu epidemic being earlier this year than last year. 20% more people deceased in January and 2.6% more in February, while 14% and 3.6% less in March and April 2019, respectively, than a year earlier.

Owing to a decrease in the number of live births and a slight rise in the number of deaths, the natural decrease was 20,195 as opposed to 19,060 in January–April 2018, which meant a growth of 6.0%.

9,669 couples got married, which was 2.2% or 210 more than in the corresponding period of the previous year. 3.9% less marriages were registered in January, almost the same numbers in February and March and considerably, 7.4% more in April compared to one year earlier.

There were 8.6 live births and 14.9 deaths per thousand inhabitants. The former was 0.2 per mille point lower and the latter 0.1 per mille point higher than in January–April 2018, as a result of which the rate of natural decrease rose by 0.4 per mille point to 6.3 per mille. The number of infant deaths was 4.2 per thousand live births in the first four months of 2019, which was an increase of 0.7 per mille point compared to January–April of the previous year. The marriage rate of 3.0 per mille was 0.1 per mille point higher than a year earlier.

Main data on vital events, January–April 2019

Vital events Number Change compared to same period of previous year, % Per thousand inhabitants Change compared to same period of previous year, %
Live births27 734–2.78.6–2.6
Deaths47 9290.814.90.9
Infant deaths11616.04.2a)19.2
Natural increase/decrease–20 1956.0–6.36.0
Marriages9 6692.23.02.3

a) Per thousand live births.