Health: 2013 record low for births, worst figure for 33 years - Focus

Rome, Dec. 30 (Reuters) – The year 2013 was the year of the ‘empty cradles’ in Italy: 62 infants less per day compared to 2012. The data of births, down time, is in fact the lowest since 1980. With some geographical difference: the clans hold better than the province. And as for the large cities expands Rome, Milan recovers, Florence is stable. While, surprisingly, the confidence comes from the earthquake-hit areas in Emilia where there was, although only in some municipalities affected, an increase of birth rate. A “auspicious sign of hope,” according to the pediatrician Italo Farnetani that sets the scene for the processing of births in 2013 Reuters Health Istat data.

the pediatrician, author of the books of advice for parents, “2013 has been a disaster: the negative trend has continued, without a glimpse of a possibility of a trend reversal. It has been the worst since negative the last 33 years. ” The Istat According to provisional data for the first seven months of this year – significant because they represent 57% of those born the year – compared with the same period of 2012, we note that in Italy there was a further loss of 4.26% compared to 2012, in absolute numbers 291 853 304 850 newborns against. Taking a projection, based on quest’andamento, it is estimated that in 2013 there will be 511 430 births, ie 22 756 babies in less than 62 infants less per day compared to 2012. Even 57 427 compared to 2009, ie 152 less per day.

A phenomenon that, according to Farnetani, it is not so much linked to the economic crisis as a lack of confidence in the future. “Unlike previous years, where the change in the birth rate was an index of the state of the real economy, so the increase and decrease followed employment opportunities and the economic performance of the individual areas in 2013 was had a downward trend common throughout Italy, demonstrating a lack of confidence and the desire to wait for better times to conceive a child, “says the doctor.

advice to aspiring parents “is – says Farnetani – wait to conceive a child if you are living a situation of uncertainty that causes distrust, anxiety, or if you want the family to stabilize even from the economic point of view . There is no guarantee, in fact, a harmonious development of the child when psycho within the family there is a climate of uncertainty and mistrust. “

“The child – continued the pediatrician – he needs to see the authoritative parents, giving him security. Recent years have seen an increase in the age of the parents especially the first experience. Indeed, sometimes the raising of ‘average age of mothers and fathers is not a negative phenomenon. With age there is an increase in maturity, so it is expected that parents are the most authoritative and confident. “