In parallel, the number of deaths is high, and in some months, it reaches double the number of births. Apart from migration, pessimism about the future, and the lack of a national strategy, sociologists also observe a change in demographic behavior: young people are more interested in travel and careers than starting a family.

Most young families have one or at most two children. Interested in developing their careers and achieving a high standard of living, young people find it increasingly challenging to decide to become parents.

In December of last year, just over 11,000 children were born, a decrease of almost 5% compared to the previous month.

Remus Anghel, sociologist: "There are different aspirations; the younger generation desires something different. It's positive that they seek more than basic provisions, like bread and soy salami, and want to travel. I don't perceive any issue with this; such a trend was inevitable".

According to official data, the average age of women becoming mothers is increasing, from just over 22 years in 1990 to 28.9 years today.

In 2022, for example, over half (55.2%) of the total number of newborns had employed mothers, and 34.7% had mothers who were homemakers.

Radu Umbreș, sociologist: "Currently, raising one or more children is associated with high costs – and it's not about basic survival expenses, but rather expenses related to the proper upbringing of children. In affluent societies, people tend to have fewer children and invest significantly more in them. We don't want to have many children with limited prospects for a good life; instead, we prefer to make qualitative investments".

Meanwhile, Romanian communities abroad continue to grow, and in some countries, Romanian women are leading in the number of births among immigrants.

In the first year after the Revolution, nearly 315,000 children were born in Romania, and since then, year after year, the number of births has steadily decreased. In 2023, there were approximately 155,000 newborns, 15% less than in 2022 when over 180,000 births were registered. At the same time, with an aging population, the number of deaths is high. Last year, in December, for instance, it was nearly double compared to the number of births. Circulatory diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, are the leading causes of death in Romania. These are followed by tumors, lung diseases and digestive system diseases.

The sharp decline in the number of newborns is a serious issue in other European countries as well. Italy and Germany, for example, are facing significant declines, and only a large number of immigrants currently balances the situation in Germany. France is also taking more measures to encourage childbirth.