Mumbai’s birth rate down 23% in 2020 compared to 2019: BMC data

While the number of deaths in 2020 was the highest since 2015, the number of births in the city went down significantly, amid the Covid-19 pandemic

While the number of deaths in 2020 was the highest since 2015, the number of births in the city went down significantly, amid the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, 120,188 births were registered in 2020, which is the lowest since 2015 and a dip of 23% when compared to 2019.

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According to data shared by the BMC, institutional deliveries dropped by almost 23% in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The number of childbirths registered with BMC hit the five-year low since 2015 with 120,188 births in 2020. In 2019, 148,898 births were reported, while in 2018, 151,187 were recorded. In 2017, 155,386 births were recorded, 152,952 in 2016 and 174,902 in 2015.

However, contrary to popular belief that institutional births went down in 2020, probably due to Covid-19 as people are preferring home deliveries. But the data states otherwise as even home births have hit the five-year low in the city. In 2020, 256 home births were reported in the city, 353 in 2019, 415 in 2018, 528 in 2017, 704 in 2016 and 1,465 in 2015.

According to experts, the births going down due to Covid will even have more impact in 2021. Besides, the impact of 2020 on those living in Mumbai is expected to be felt in 2021, they opine.

Dr Nikhil Datar, a city-based gynaecologist said, “A woman gives birth after around nine months of pregnancy. To understand, how Covid affected women’s decision-making about pregnancy and childbirth we will have to wait for 2021 and 2022’s data. In 2020, the birth rate in Mumbai has gone down due to migration. Due to the loss of a job or the convenience of working from home, many families went to their hometowns. This might have contributed to lesser births in the city, but I do not see any direct relation between Covid and birth rate going down in 2020 at least.”

Dr Datar added, “Also, I have always thought that at least in Mumbai we might not see a trend wherein home births will increase due to Covid-19. The data also has proved it there is no infrastructure available for having home births in Mumbai like how it is done in rural areas.”

Another Dr Ashok Anand, gynaecologist from Sir JJ Hospital said, “When it comes to 2020, there was fear among many for delivery in hospital due to Covid. We also saw many preferring private hospitals over government-run hospitals in 2020 for deliveries considering many government hospitals were turned into covid centres. However, another reason for births going down could also be migration to hometowns due to work from home and lockdown or even many going out of Mumbai for deliveries considering other cities were not impacted much during the first wave.”

The data further reveals that stillbirths which means death or loss of a baby before or during delivery increased in 2020 compared to 2019. According to data, 1,131 stillbirths were registered in the city in 2020, 904 in 2019, 1,396 in 2018, 1,684 in 2017, 1,818 in 2016 and 2,225 in 2015.

In terms of overall deaths, the city reported the five-year highest death toll in 2020 amid the outbreak of covid-19. As per the data, 112,603 deaths were reported in 2020, 91,223 in 2019, 88,852 in 2018, 89,037 in 2017, 86,642 in 2016, 94,706 in 2015.

Meanwhile, though overall deaths went high, the death toll of infants and neonatal went down significantly in the city during 2020. Between 2015 and 2019, every year between 3,400 to 4,500 deaths of infants were reported, however, in 2020, the number came down to 2,649. Further, neonatal deaths between 2015 and 2019 were between 2,100 to 2,700, however, in 2020, the number came down to 1,858.