The number of births in the Czech Republic continues to decline, reaching a historic low. As a result, some maternity clinics have already been closed, and more may follow.
In the Czech Republic, fewer children have been born than ever before. According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Health, the current year is highly likely to even fall below last year’s previous record low. As the news channel ČT24 reports, in some regions the number of newborns is almost a fifth lower than in the previous year.
Currently, 84 maternity clinics are in operation in the Czech Republic. According to ČT, birth data up to the end of November is available from 55 facilities. Three-quarters of these recorded a decline compared with the previous year, and 15 clinics reported a decrease of at least ten per cent. One of the largest maternity hospitals in the country, Prague’s Podolí, is particularly affected. In Rychnov nad Kněžnou, fewer than 300 children were born this year – a decline of 16 per cent compared with the previous year. A very similar trend is observed at the Municipal Hospital in Ostrava. Only 13 of the surveyed facilities reported an increase in births, mostly only in the low single-digit percentage range. Experts warn that the network of smaller maternity clinics is no longer sustainable at the current density.
The development has already had concrete consequences. The maternity clinic in Prachatice was closed after the summer holidays, and the department in Rychnov nad Kněžnou will cease operations at the end of the year. More facilities could follow. According to the news channel, six providers are currently discussing closures or restructuring.
Health Minister Adam Vojtěch (independent, nominated by ANO) places particular responsibility on the health insurance companies, but also emphasises the role of the Ministry. The key factor is working with reliable data – this is where he intends to focus in particular. This year, data collection on newborns was expanded, and the transition to fully electronic reporting from maternity clinics is underway.
The Statistics Office has so far published preliminary figures for the first half of 2025: compared with the previous year, twelve per cent fewer children were born, and compared with 2021, around a third fewer.
