In Focus by The Hindu

How will South India's declining births affect society

Jan 29, 2025

Mala Ramanathan, a public health expert from the Achutha Menon Centre, discusses South India's concerning decline in birth rates and its unexpected link to rising maternal mortality. She highlights Kerala's historic low of 3.9 lakh births annually and the implications for an aging population. The conversation touches on socio-economic factors driving these trends and the challenges of ensuring an active, healthy society as demographics shift. Ramanathan also considers the need for policies that support the elderly and enrich their contributions to the community.

27:35

Episode guests

Mala Ramanathan

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Quick takeaways

The significant decline in births in Kerala highlights a paradox where fewer births contribute to a perception of increased maternal mortality risks despite low actual rates.

The rising elderly population in southern states necessitates tailored policies to integrate older adults into the workforce, promoting active aging for economic growth.

Deep dives

Declining Birth Rates and Maternal Mortality in Kerala

The birth rates in Kerala have significantly decreased, dropping from approximately 5.5 lakhs to about 3.9 lakhs per year, which has raised discussions about maternal mortality. Despite having one of the lowest maternal mortality ratios in India, currently at 19 per 100,000 live births, the declining number of births contributes to a heightened perception of risk associated with mortality. This situation underscores the importance of understanding statistical measures such as confidence intervals when interpreting these rates. Although the absolute numbers are low, the fluctuations in births significantly impact the assessment of maternal health, leading to a need for focus on individual health outcomes rather than solely on aggregate statistics.

Intro

2min

Declining Births and Maternal Health in Kerala

17min

Internal Migration Trends and Economic Opportunities in India

2min

Fertility Trends and Political Implications in India

2min

Navigating Aging in South India

4min

It’s official now – the number of births in Kerala have hit an all-time low of about 3.9 lakh per year, a significant drop from the previous average of about 5.5 lakh per year. This ironically, has led to a spike in maternal mortality – not because more mothers are dying – Kerala has an excellent track record – but because fewer babies are being born.

The State has led the demographic transition in south India – it was the first to achieve replacement levels of fertility and now has a total fertility rate of around 1.5. Other south Indian States including Tamil Nadu and Karanataka have followed.

But what does the declining fertility and falling birth rates actually mean for the society in Kerala, and by extension, for the rest of south India? How rapidly is the senior citizen population growing? Do south Indian States need to increase their fertility rates and is this even possible? What measures need to be put in place to ensure an active, healthy population, both of those working and those who are retired?

Guest: Prof Mala Ramanathan, from the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Jude Francis Weston

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In Focus by The Hindu

How will South India's declining births affect society

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Declining Birth Rates and Maternal Mortality in Kerala

Demographic Transition and Changing Aspirations

Aging Population and Policy Implications

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts