Birth rate falls significantly

Far fewer babies were born in 2022 in Switzerland compared to the previous year.

The numbers from the Federal Statistics Office show that 82,371 babies were born last year.

The birthrate was down around 8% – but 2021 did experience a particularly high number of births, so the fall maybe just a short-term effect. 

But the office says concerns about the future and financial instability could be part of the reason. . 

The infant mortality rate was up slightly, from 3.1 per 1,000 live births to 3.8.

The statistics office says the first day of life remains the most critical. The majority of infant deaths occur within 24 hours. 

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