Guide
Awesome gifts for newborns – and what to steer clear of
by Katja Fischer
2021 saw the highest number of babies in a long time
7.4.2022
Translation: machine translated
According to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office, more children were born in Switzerland last year than at any time in almost 50 years. Possible reason: the covid pandemic.
Will a baby boom follow lockdown, home office and mandatory quarantine? There have been regular speculations about this over the past two pandemic years. Now there is a first answer: Yes, there does indeed seem to be a Corona effect. The provisional figures from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO) certainly point to this.
89,400 live births were registered in Switzerland in 2021, writes the FSO. That is 4.1 percent more than in the previous year. Particularly impressive: It is the highest level since 1972.
The Federal Office does not provide any information about possible reasons. Possibly, however, the pandemic had an indirect influence on the birth rate, says the FSO in response to a query from the news agency Keystone-SDA.
When most children were conceived
The figures for the periods with the highest birth rates provide information about a possible connection with the lockdown: according to these, from January to April and from August to December 2021, the most children saw the light of day.
That is: Most babies were conceived in the period from April to July 2020 and from November 2020 to March 2021.
The first lockdown began in March 2020 and ended gradually from April 27 - so there seems to be no correlation here. With the second lockdown, however, there is. In January 2021, the Federal Council decided on renewed tightening with store closures and home office duty until the end of February. Clubs were already closed. This period coincides with the highest procreation figures.
With the exception of two cantons - Nidwalden and Obwalden - all cantons recorded an increase in births. The provisional figures also show that the average number of children per woman was 1.51 in 2021 compared to 1.46 in 2020 (2019: 1.48).
More marriages, more divorces
Parallel to the number of births, the number of marriages has also increased. On the other hand, there were also more divorces.
36,200 couples tied the knot in 2021, which is 3 percent more than in the previous year. However, because of the Corona restrictions, many weddings from 2020 were made up in 2021.
Many divorce proceedings also had to be rescheduled because of the pandemic. Thus, 5.1 percent more divorces were pronounced last year than in 2020, with a total of 17,000. About two out of five marriages would end in divorce, writes the Federal Statistical Office.
Katja Fischer
Senior Editor
Katja.Fischer@digitecgalaxus.chMom of Anna and Elsa, aperitif expert, group fitness fanatic, aspiring dancer and gossip lover. Often a multitasker and a person who wants it all, sometimes a chocolate chef and queen of the couch.
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