The key facts
- Italy's total fertility rate in 2025 was 1.14, down from 1.18 in 2024 (Istat data).
- 355,772 children were born — 3.8% (about 14 thousand) fewer than in 2024.
- The average age of mothers at the birth of their first child reached 32 for the first time.
A new historic low in births
Italy has recorded a new historic low in births. According to a report by the National Institute of Statistics of Italy (Istat), in 2025 the average number of children per woman fell to 1.14 — from 1.18 a year earlier. This figure is significantly below the level of 2.1 needed for simple population replacement. 'The average number of children per woman continues to decline in 2025, reaching 1.14,' the document notes.
Number of newborns and mothers' age
An anti-record was also set for the absolute number of newborns: in 2025, 355,772 were born, which is 3.8% (about 14 thousand) fewer than in 2024. The average age of a woman at childbirth rose to 32.7 years — almost three years more than in 1995. The age at the birth of the first child reached 32 for the first time, compared with 28.1 years 30 years ago.
Dynamics of the indicator
The previous historic low of the total fertility rate in Italy was recorded in 1995 at 1.19, while the peak of 1.44 occurred in 2008–2010. Thus, the current figure has fallen below the mark set almost thirty years ago.
