Preliminary 2025 data shows the US infant mortality rate dropped to a historic low of under 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, a decrease from previous years. While reasons are unclear, experts are optimistic about the trend, though the US rate still lags behind other high-income nations.
Hungary's ambitious pronatalist policies, offering financial incentives for having children, have seen a temporary rise in fertility followed by a decline. Experts debate whether the policies merely accelerated births or failed to address deeper issues like healthcare and cultural norms, offering lessons for other nations.
Hong Kong's HK$20,000 newborn baby bonus, launched in 2023, is set to expire in October. The government will consult the public on whether to continue the incentive, which has benefited over 65,000 babies and cost HK$1.3 billion.
Taiwan recorded 6,832 births in May, the second-lowest monthly total on record. This continues a 29-month streak of year-on-year declines, with the population also decreasing.
Japan's child population (under 15) has fallen to a historic low of 13.29 million, down 350,000 from last year. This decline, linked to falling birth rates and fewer marriages, now represents only 10.8% of the total population, a stark contrast to 35.1% in 1950.
India's fertility rate has dropped below replacement level, prompting concerns about long-term economic growth. Experts like Radhika Gupta emphasize the need for infrastructure supporting women's workforce participation and family sustainability.
Emergency caesarean sections in England have risen to 26% of births, a significant increase over five years, with concerns over a culture of fear and pressure on NHS staff and facilities.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida acknowledged the nation's record-low birthrate in 2025 as a "silent crisis," vowing to increase young people's disposable income and bolster support for struggling parents to encourage marriage and childbirth.
India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has dropped to 1.9, below replacement level, according to new SRS data. While national averages show a decline, significant regional disparities persist, with states like Bihar still having high fertility rates. The data also highlights shifts in birth order, reduced infant mortality but persistent dangers in the first week of life, and a concerning gap in medical attention at the time of death.
A Hong Kong doctor and a children's rights group have warned that unassisted home births and vaccine refusal pose life-threatening risks to mothers and newborns. Their concerns follow the arrest of a couple suspected of child neglect after they refused to register their third child's birth and submit to a DNA test.
Japan's birth count in 2025 dropped to a record low of 671,236, the lowest since 1899. The total fertility rate also hit a historic low of 1.14, indicating a persistent decline in birth rates. The number of births is falling 15 years faster than projected.
Japan's birthrate hit a record low for the 10th straight year in 2025, with 671,236 births and a total fertility rate of 1.14. The government is implementing measures, but the decline is faster than projected.
India's infant mortality rate fell to 24/1,000 live births in 2024, a significant drop driven by increased institutional deliveries. However, disparities persist between rural and urban areas, and newborn deaths are now the primary challenge, necessitating enhanced neonatal and maternal care.
South Korea's March births rose 19.4% year-over-year to 25,200, the highest since March 2019, driven by a surge in marriages, with the total fertility rate increasing to 0.93, still below the 2.1 replacement rate.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced financial incentives of Rs 30,000 for a third child and Rs 40,000 for a fourth to boost the state's declining population. The move aims to increase the birth rate and maintain a Total Fertility Rate of 2.1.
James Harrison, dubbed the 'man with the golden arm,' donated plasma over 1,100 times, saving an estimated 2.4 million Australian babies. His rare antibodies produced a vital treatment preventing Rhesus disease, a dangerous pregnancy complication. Harrison's lifelong commitment, starting at 18, ensured generations of healthy births, transforming a once deadly condition.
Analysis from the Health Foundation reveals a devastating two-year decline in healthy life expectancy in Britain, with the UK now ranking 20th out of 21 high-income countries, just above the US. Worsening mental health among younger adults shows the sharpest deterioration, while the pandemic is not to blame. By 2028, when retirement age rises to 67, the average person will be in poor health over six years before stopping work. Huge geographical disparities exist, with London improving while Blackpool and Hartlepool see steepest declines.
The Office for National Statistics projects UK deaths will outnumber births every year from 2026, with population growth slowing significantly. The population is expected to rise by just 1.7 million between 2024-2034 (2.5% to 71 million), down from a previous projection of 3 million. Net migration has fallen 69% to 204,000, and the population is now expected to peak at 72.5 million in 2054 before declining. The pensionable population will rise to one-fifth of the total by 2034.
The Office for National Statistics projects deaths will outnumber births in the UK every year from 2026, with the population expected to peak in the 2050s before declining. Net migration has fallen sharply from nearly 1 million in 2023 to just over 200,000, contributing to slower population growth. By 2034, pensioners will comprise a fifth of the population while the number of children is projected to fall by 1.6 million.
Deep-rooted son preference fuels sex-selective abortions in India, leading to millions of fewer female births by 2030. Despite legal bans, illegal networks facilitate prenatal sex determination and terminations, driven by cultural pressures and financial anxieties. While some areas show slow improvement in sex ratios, demand for sons persists.
Data reveals 104 children died in England over six years with temporary accommodation as a contributing factor, including 76 infants under one year old. The figures also show 64 stillbirths and 27 neonatal deaths in 2024 involving mothers in TA. With 135,000 households and 176,000 children now in temporary accommodation, experts say the housing crisis has become a normalised emergency that is killing families.
South Korea's February births rose 13.6% year-on-year to 22,898 babies, the fastest growth pace for any February since records began in 1981. The total fertility rate increased to 0.93, driven primarily by women in their 30s. The number of marriages declined 4.2% after 22 straight months of increase, while deaths dropped 3.5%, resulting in a natural population decline of 6,275.
