Home / Health / Scotland Births Hit Record Low for Third Year
Scotland Births Hit Record Low for Third Year
25 Aug
Summary
- Births in Scotland reached a record low of 45,067 in 2025.
- The fertility rate dropped to 1.23, the lowest since 1951.
- Stillbirths increased to 188 in 2025, though infant deaths decreased.
New figures reveal that Scotland experienced a record low in live births for the third year running in 2025, with 45,067 births registered. This is the lowest figure since records began in 1855. For the eleventh consecutive year, deaths have exceeded births, with the gap widening since 2014.
The total fertility rate has also declined to 1.23 in 2025, down from 1.24 in 2024, marking the lowest rate since the National Records of Scotland began tracking this metric in 1951. Despite the low birth rate, Scotland's population saw a slight increase due to migration.
In other vital statistics for 2025, stillbirths rose to 188, an increase from 159 the previous year, though the rate remains historically low. The infant death rate saw a decrease, and adoptions fell to 340. Conversely, marriages and civil partnerships increased, with 27,191 marriages and 944 civil partnerships recorded.
