LOW FERTILITY IN POST-COVID-19 IN SRI LANKA: DETERMINANTS AND CONSEQUENCES

Sunethra Perera Ellawala Liyanage, University of Colombo

Fertility decline is evident in Sri Lanka during the post-COVID-19 period, with a drop in the number of births by about 70,000 from 2019 to 2023. This demographic shift has become a major public concern. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are to compare fertility between pre and post-COVID-19 periods by district and to identify factors of recent fertility decline by exploring married couples’ fertility preferences and intentions. A mixed-method research design is employed. Secondary data obtained from the Registrar’s General Department are used to identify the magnitude of fertility decline between two periods by districts. In addition, qualitative data pertaining to 30 in-depth interviews obtained from couples who got married between 2019 and 2023 but had one or no children are used to discover the changes in fertility decisions, perceptions and intentions. Analysis revealed that Sri Lanka’s post-COVID-19 fertility decline is significant in 21 districts out of 25 districts. Factors such as couples’ economic security and cost of child-rearing, migration intentions, and the voluntary decision that they never want to have children affecting their decision to delay childbearing, limiting and no children which are crucial in addressing determinants and consequences of low fertility in post-COVID -19 in Sri Lanka.

Keywords: Fertility, Family Planning and Contraception, Families, Unions and Households

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