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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Eva Corlett in Wellington

New Zealand’s fertility rate hits record low as births fall

baby feet
The number of babies born in New Zealand fell in 2023, data from Statistics NZ showed. Photograph: John James/Alamy

New Zealand’s fertility rate slumped to a record low in 2023, official data shows, as the total number of births also dropped.

The fertility rate tracks the average number of births women will have in their lifetime. New Zealand, along with many countries around the world, has seen this number drop as factors like education, participation in the workforce, and access to contraception contribute to women having fewer children.

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