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

Analyst says drop in births reflect ‘continued trend’ of smaller family sizes and higher rates of childlessness

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.