Births in Scotland have fallen again, with new figures showing a 3.8% drop during the third quarter of 2025.
National Records of Scotland recorded 11,747 births between 1st July and 30th September, compared with the five-year average of 12,214 for the same period.
There were 67 stillbirths, higher than the quarter three average of 46. This gives a stillbirth rate of 5.7 per 1,000 births, the highest recorded for any quarter since early 2011. A total of 40 infant deaths were registered, slightly below the average of 44.
Across the same period, 14,161 deaths were recorded in Scotland. This is 7.4% lower than the expected number of 15,287, which is adjusted for Scotland’s growing and ageing population. Deaths were lower than expected for all broad age groups, with female deaths down 8.3% and male deaths down 6.5%.
Renfrewshire’s figures follow the national trend. The area recorded 481 births and 461 deaths during quarter three. There were five stillbirths, giving a stillbirth rate of 10.3 per 1,000 births, based on NRS council-level data.
Philippa Haxton, Head of Vital Events statistics at NRS, said cancer accounted for 29% of all deaths in this quarter. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias made up 11%, coronary heart disease 10%, respiratory diseases 9%, and cerebrovascular disease a further 6%. Together these causes represented nearly two-thirds of all deaths.
Scotland also saw 9,865 marriages, which is 2.8% below the quarter three average. Same-sex marriages accounted for 3.9% of the total, in line with the five-year average.