According to China’s National Health Commission, COVID-19 has contributed to a decline in the number of marriages and births in the country.

She noted that many women are still putting off their plans to get married or have children, adding that rapid economic and social development has led to “profound changes.”

She added that the movement of young people to urban areas, more time spent in education and a busy work environment all played a role as well.

Demographers also said that China’s strict policy to eradicate any outbreak of the pandemic by imposing severe restrictions on people’s lives may have severely reduced their desire to have children.

“The coronavirus has had a clear impact on the organization of marriage and childbirth for some people,” the committee said.

Demographics experts say China’s birth rate will fall to record levels this year, with fewer than 10 million babies expected to be born compared to 10.6 million last year, down 11.5% from 2020.

China’s birth rate was 1.16 in 2021, one of the lowest in the world and below the 2.1 level the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development considers necessary for a stable population.

After China introduced its one-child policy from 1980 to 2015, it acknowledged that its population was on the verge of shrinking – a potential crisis that will test its ability to care for the elderly.

To address this problem, the authorities last year introduced measures at the national and regional levels, such as tax breaks, extended maternity leave, enhanced health insurance, housing subsidies and extra money for a third child.