In 2022, an average of 1.52 children were born per woman in Sweden, according to the statistics agency Statistics Norway.
The figure has not been this low since 1999 – that is, in over 20 years.
Gunnar Andersson, professor of demography at Stockholm University, believes that one explanation is that many people have a more pessimistic view of the future.
War in the outside world, inflation, unemployment, political extremism, crime and environmental destruction have a negative impact on plans to have children.
- We connect it with the increased concerns globally that prevent young adults from having their first child.
In order to start the family project, you have to have faith in the future, he says.
Consequences in the long term
The trend has been downward since 2010 when the summed fertility was 1.98 children per woman, with the exception of the pandemic year 2021 when fertility increased slightly.
Gunnar Andersson looks at the trend with concern.
- It has major consequences in the long term with age structures that become skewed.
There will be very few younger people to support the elderly.
A total of 104,734 children were born in Sweden last year, which is 9,529 fewer than in 2021. The last time so few children were born was in 2005.
The same trend in Europe
Also in other countries in Europe, the number of children is decreasing.
One of the explanations is that first-time mothers are getting older and therefore do not have as many children during their lifetime as before.
Sweden has previously stood out as one of five countries in Europe where the birth rate has been the highest.
Now that can change.
- Sweden has functioned as a country of success.
It is linked to the family policy, which makes it possible to combine working life and family life to a greater extent.
But with the new development, it remains to be seen what happens, says Gunnar Andersson.
Watch the professor list three factors that affect childbirth in the clip