Looking At Birth Rates 9 Months After Lockdown
[Written by Don Burgess]
There was no “baby boom” after last year’s April lockdown. In fact, it was more of a baby bust as Bermuda experienced a nearly 7% decline in births.
Statistics from the Bermuda Hospital Board show that from January through May, there were 194 births as compared to 206 for the same period in 2017, 208 for 2018, 210 in 2019, and 207 in 2020.
There may have been some expectations when the Shelter in Place happened in April last year, people would be putting some Marvin Gaye or Barry White on play, and the hospital delivery room would be getting busy too in January, but that didn’t happen.
This January only saw 35 babies being born, the least amount since January 2019.
The baby bust is not unique to Bermuda as much of the western world also saw a decline. AP reported births in the US were down 8% during its lockdown. The BBC stated that “France, Korea, Taiwan, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have all reported monthly birth figures for December or January that were their lowest in more than 20 years.”
Bermuda’s birthrate is already in steady decline over the past decade. In 2012 and 2013, 648 and 651 births were recorded, respectively. This year births are down 6.7%, and if that trend continues, based on an average of 533 babies being born over the past three years, Bermuda will have less than 500 births for the first time in more than six decades.
“Bermuda’s birthrate is already in steady decline over the past decade. In 2012 and 2013, 648 and 651 births were recorded, respectively.”
Imagine that, only a few years after we chased away 5,000 or so professional ex pats the birth rate (and tax base) declined. Who could have predicted such a thing?
It’s actually a global phenomenon. 3rd and fourth wave feminism is to blame IMO. In the Bermuda context
“we chased away 5,000 or so professional ex pats” nothing to do with our birth rate but the shrinking tax base I agree it is a factor.
LOL