Tue Jan 28 18:51:24 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu’s Birth Rate Plummets, Raising Concerns

**Chennai, January 29, 2025** – Tamil Nadu’s birth rate has experienced a sharp decline, falling to 842,412 live births in 2024 – a 6.6% drop from the previous year’s 902,306. This marks a significant shift, as the number of births had remained above nine lakh for at least five years prior. The state’s birth rate now stands at 10.9, down from 11.7 in 2023. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), averaging the number of children born to a woman in her lifetime, is 1.4, considerably lower than the replacement level of 2.1.

While this decline aligns with trends in other developed and developing nations, according to T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, it raises concerns about a future imbalance in the population’s age structure. Selvavinayagam highlighted the potential for increased social and economic challenges due to a growing elderly population and shrinking workforce. He also noted that the decreasing birth rate could slow progress in reducing Maternal Mortality Ratio. He added that policy should now focus on addressing higher-order births and infertility.

Dr. Jacob John, professor and head of the Centre for Public Health at Christian Medical College, Vellore, attributed the lower fertility rate to successful government initiatives and economic factors, adding that the current situation has “overshot” the ideal TFR. He emphasized the need for deliberate efforts to reach the replacement level fertility rate, mirroring strategies already being adopted in Western countries grappling with similar demographic shifts. He suggested utilizing the slower birth rate to improve healthcare systems, particularly in areas such as immunisation and maternal health. Both experts highlighted the need for increased investment in healthcare for the aging population.

Read More