Fewer deaths, declining natural decrease
According to preliminary data, in the first two months of 2018, the number of live births was 0.3% and that of deceases was 15% less than in the same period of 2017. As a result, the natural decrease was 8,661 persons, 4,065 fewer than in January–February 2017. In February 2018, the number of live births was 1.1% and that of deceases was 6.5% less than in the same month of 2017. The natural decrease was 4,866 persons, 739 fewer than a year earlier.
In February 2018:
6,821 children were born, 74 or 1.1% less than in February 2017.
The number of deceased people was 11,687, which meant a decrease of 6.5% or numerically 813 fewer deceases compared to February of the previous year.
The number of deaths and that of births dropped, as a result of which natural decrease was 4,866, as opposed to 5,605 in February 2017, which meant a decline of 13.2%.
The number of marriages decreased slightly, by 0.6%, and the number of 1,840 marriages registered was only by 12 fewer than the figure in February 2017.
In January–February 2018:
14,602 children were born, by 41 (0.3%) fewer than in January–February 2017. In January 0.4% more and in February 1.1% less children were born than in the corresponding months of 2017.
23,263 people died, which meant a decrease of 15% or numerically 4,106 fewer deceases than in the same period of the previous year. The significant decrease was due to the extremely high number of deaths in January 2017. In January 2018, 22% and in February 6.5% less deaths occurred than in the previous year.
The number of deaths significantly and that of live births slightly decreased, as a result of which natural decrease fell from 12,726 in January–February 2017 to 8,661 persons in 2018, which meant a decrease of 32%.
The number of marriages was essentially unchanged (11 fewer) compared to the one registered in the same period last year.
There were 9.2 live births and 14.7 deceases per thousand inhabitants. The former was nearly the same as the value in January–February 2017 and the latter was 2.6 per mille point down, as a result of which the rate of natural decrease fell by 2.6 per mille point to 5.5 per mille. The number of infant deaths was 2.7 per thousand live births in the first two months of 2018, which meant a decrease of 0.7 per mille point year-on-year. The marriage rate was 2.1 per mille, the same as a year before.
Main data of vital events, January–February 2018
| Vital event | Number | Change compared to the same period of the previous year, % | Per thousand inhabitants | Change compared to the same period of the previous year, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live birth | 14 602 | –0.3 | 9.2 | –0.0 |
| Death | 23 263 | –15.0 | 14.7 | –14.8 |
| Infant death | 40 | –20.0 | 2.7a) | –19.8 |
| Marriage | 3 340 | –0.3 | 2.1 | –0.1 |
| Natural decrease | –8 661 | –31.9 | –5.5 | –31.8 |
a) Per thousand live births.