Delhi sees decline in birth rate post-Covid, from 18.35 to 14.85 per 1,000

Delhi saw a decline in birth rate after the COVID-19 pandemic as it reduced from 18.35 per 1000 population to 14.85 in 2020, according to the latest report of the government.

The 'Annual Report on Registration of Births and Deaths in Delhi-2023' also said that out of 13,919 non-institutional births, 7,216 (51.84 per cent) were females.

Out of 3,01,168 institutional births, 1,94,428 (64.56 per cent) births occurred in government hospitals. Out of the total institutional births, 1,43,891 (47.78 per cent) were females, according to the report.

The report said one of the important indicators that emerge out of Civil Registration System is birth rate which, during the period between 2005 to 2019, is hovering between 18-22 per 1000 population.

However, after Covid-19, the birth rate ranges between 13-15 per 1000 population from 2020-2023. The report, however, did not cite the reason for the decline in figures.

In 2019, the birth rate stood at 18.35 per 1000 population while it declined to 14.85 in 2020, 13.13 in 2021 and then to 14.24 and 14.66 in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

In 2023, medical institutions accounted for more than 95 per cent of the total births during 2023. The share of institutional births has gone up continuously. It was only 73.72 per cent in 2005.

During 2023, the proportion of institutional births to total registered births has increased (1.56 per cent) in comparison to 2022. In the year 2023, total 3,01,168 live births occurred in the hospitals, which means on an average 825 live births occurred daily in the hospitals during 2023.

Out of total births, 95.58 per cent births were institutional including 61.71 per cent births in government institutions and 33.88 per cent in non-government institutions, whereas, 4.42 per cent were non-institutional or domiciliary births. During 2023, government hospitals in Delhi have handled on an average 533 cases of live births per day (512 per day in 2022) as against 292 per day (262 per day in 2022) by non-government institutions.

Out of the total births, 86.06 per cent were registered in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) whereas New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) accounted for 12.86 per cent.

The total registration under Delhi Cantonment Board constitutes only 1.08 per cent of the total births. The break-up of registered birth events reveals that only 13.79 per cent of the births were rural, whereas 86.21 per cent were urban.

The report also flagged that fact that data which pertains to still births is not reported regularly by the hospitals and institutions to the concerned Registrar (B&D).

The Office of Chief Registrar (B&D) had made a communication to sensitise the medical superintendents of the hospitals/institutions to report the vital events inclusive of still births within the stipulated period of 21 days to the concerned Registrar (B&D), it said.

The report said the ratio of 67:33 was observed between institutional and domiciliary death events registered last year. The proportion of non-institutional events decreased from 36.28 per cent in 2022 to 33.06 per cent in 2023.

Out of total 1,32,391 deaths registered during the year 2023, the infant deaths were 7,439, the report said.