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Iran reports increase in birth rates across 15 provinces: Lawmaker
The birth rate in Iran has seen a notable increase in 15 provinces, according to Amir Hossein Bankipour, vice president of the Parliament’s Cultural Committee.
He attributed this rise to the implementation of the Family Support and Youth Population Law, which has successfully halted a previous downward trend in national birth rates. “In the past, the birth rate was declining annually, but with the use of this law, we managed to stop that decline last year,” Bankipour stated at the fifth “Young Iran” conference focused on promoting the youth population law.
According to him, the law has already had significant effects on Iran’s birth rates. Births of third children increased by 9%, fourth children by 28%, and fifth children and above by 51% over the past two years.
This comes despite a decrease of 400,000 mothers in the 25 to 40 age group during the same period. “We have seen that the number of mothers exiting this age group is 400,000 fewer than those entering it,” he said, attributing the demographic shift to family planning policies implemented 30 years ago.
Despite economic pressures, Bankipour emphasized that the youth population law has managed to stabilize the population curve.
He remarked, “With only 50% of its implementation, the law has prevented the population curve from falling and increased the rates of third, fourth, and fifth child births.” He further called for a shift from one or two-child families to larger families, stating, “This is the exact policy targeted by the youth population law, which has yielded positive results.”
The law also aims to improve perceptions of mothers over 35, who are increasingly encouraged to bear more children. Notably, the birth rate for women in this age group has risen by 15%, particularly among those aged 35 to 45. Bankipour noted that the gap between marriage and the birth of the first child has decreased from over six years to four years.
Bankipour also addressed the issue of unnecessary sterilizations, stating that such procedures will only be allowed if medically justified. He noted that the distribution of free contraceptive supplies has ceased under the new policies, aimed at controlling resource use and preventing misuse.
While acknowledging some criticisms of the new family support policies, Bankipour assured that essential items remain available in public centers, although no longer provided for free. He reiterated that aligning these policies with demographic goals is crucial to prevent past planning inconsistencies.
In terms of childbirth practices, the new policies promote natural births and aim to mitigate the unnecessary rise in cesarean sections, which officials argue conflicts with population health objectives. “Specialists are now required to encourage natural childbirth unless medically necessary,” he emphasized.
He concluded by addressing the anxieties mothers face regarding childbirth and raising children.
He mentioned that concerns about natural birth and the possibility of disabilities in children create stress for many mothers. To mitigate these concerns, policies such as educational leave for student mothers and financial scholarships for children up to 25 years of age are being introduced.