Sharp Decline in Ukrainian Births in 2024
In 2024, just over 168,000 children were born in Ukraine—nearly half the 274,000 recorded in 2021. This dramatic drop comes amid severe wartime challenges, including damaged medical infrastructure and rising maternal mortality. By December 2025, more than 80 maternity and neonatal units across Ukraine had been damaged or destroyed. As a result, maternal deaths increased by over a third between 2023 and 2024.
Pregnancy During Wartime
Women expecting children now face heightened stress due to the ongoing conflict. For example, at the Clinical Perinatal Center of the Holy Virgin in Sumy, the rate of premature births rose from 2.9% in 2021 to 5.5% in 2024—a surge linked to the psychological strain on pregnant women in combat zones.
Many pregnant women are also actively contributing to national defense. Around 70,000 women serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Dr. Iryna Dolgopolova, a medic who evacuated wounded soldiers from the front lines until her seventh month of pregnancy, gave birth to a healthy daughter in January. She remarked:
“Despite everything, we must bring new life into the world.”
Inna Slavgorodska, who fled Kharkiv for Germany while pregnant in the early days of the invasion, lost her child at five months but delivered a healthy baby via cesarean section in January. The day after giving birth, a Russian drone struck the hospital where she was recovering.
These stories highlight the dire conditions Ukrainian women face as they become mothers during war. They encounter immense obstacles, yet demonstrate remarkable resilience and a determination to embrace life.
The decline in Ukraine’s birth rate reflects not only the immediate impact of war but also the country’s ongoing socioeconomic struggles. The loss of healthcare facilities and rising maternal mortality underscore the urgent need for health sector interventions to support women during pregnancy and childbirth. This situation demands attention from both the government and international organizations to ensure the safety and well-being of mothers and newborns in Ukraine.