Pune city sees fewer babies in 2020 than 2019

Pune: As per the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) health department, the city saw fewer baby births registered in 2020 as compared to 2019

Pune: As per the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) health department, the city saw fewer baby births registered in 2020 as compared to 2019. While the civic body does not have any specific analysis of the same, the restricted movement of people due to the lockdown and also a large number of people moving out of the city could be the reasons, according to civic officials.

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As per the data, Pune city reported 50,544 births of which 25,967 male births and 24,577 female births were registered in 2020 while in 2019, 52,669 births were registered, of which 27,407 were male births and 25,262 were of female births.

The number of births registered within a year fell by 2,125. The number saw a drastic fall compared to the 2018 fall during which over 55,000 birth registrations were seen due to the population rise as 11 new villages were added to the PMC limits.

The highest number of births registered in the last five years was in 2018 when 55,516 births were registered of which 28,815 were of male child and 26,701 were of female children.

Dr Kalpana Baliwwant, assistant health officer PMC, who looks after the birth/death registration department said, “I cannot say any specific reason for the same. A birth can be registered within one year of the child’s birth and so if a child born in November or December is registered in the coming months then the birth registration is recorded as per the next year.”

In 2020, the city was under strict containment measures in view of the Covid pandemic. This restricted movement of the people which could have hampered the registration of births while a large number of people also moved out of the city which might have actually brought down births in the city.

Another civic official said, “In the year 2017, 11 more villages were added and so in 2018 the number of births registered went up drastically. In addition, people have a year’s time to record the birth and so maybe people are avoiding stepping out to register. However, even in that case the hospital has to register within 21 days and send the PMC inputs regarding the birth and this report is based on those who have submitted the report. The 23 villages which are yet under consideration are yet to be added officially within the PMC limits.”