Emirati births fall 7.52% despite 15.24% rise in UAE's total births

Abu Dhabi: The number of Emirati births in the UAE fell by 7.52 per cent between 2021 and 2024, even as the country's overall births increased by more than 15 per cent, according to official statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Prevention.

The figures show that births among UAE citizens declined by 2,385, from 31,732 in 2021 to 29,347 in 2024.

In contrast, the total number of births, including Emiratis and residents, rose by 15.24 per cent during the same period, increasing by 14,138 to 106,915 in 2024, compared with 92,777 in 2021, Emarat Al Youm reported. 

The decline in Emirati births continued for three consecutive years, falling to 30,889 in 2022, 29,926 in 2023 and 29,347 in 2024

Separate data from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre showed that the total fertility rate among Emirati women fell from 3.2 children per woman in 2021 to 3.1 in 2022. A further decline to 2.9 in 2023 was also reported. 

The figures have prompted specialists and members of the Federal National Council (FNC) to call for measures addressing the rising cost of raising children, delayed marriages, work-life balance and limited access to fertility treatment.

Why are Emirati births declining?

Family and mental health specialists linked the trend to a combination of economic, social and psychological factors, including delayed marriage, the rising cost of housing and childcare, and the desire among some couples to achieve financial stability before having children.

Dr Hala Ibrahim Al Ablam, a mental health consultant and family education expert, warned that a decline in the number of births did not necessarily mean that couples' desire to have children had fallen by the same proportion.

She explained that birth numbers were influenced by several factors, including the number of marriages, the ages of couples, the timing of childbirth and the number of women of reproductive age.

Al Ablam noted that changing expectations about parenting had led some couples to postpone having children until they felt financially and emotionally prepared.

She also highlighted concerns about balancing professional responsibilities with childcare, particularly among families living away from relatives who could otherwise provide daily support.

Dr Jassim Mohammed Al Marzouqi, a psychological, family and marital therapy consultant, explained that some couples increasingly viewed parenthood as a major undertaking requiring careful planning, financial resources, emotional readiness and sufficient time.

He observed that social media had also contributed to unrealistic expectations by presenting idealised images of family life, including expensive holidays, activities and experiences.

Such portrayals, he explained, could leave prospective parents feeling that raising children required significantly more resources than were necessary to provide a healthy and supportive environment.

Calls for shorter working hours and family incentives

Members of the FNC proposed several measures to address the decline, including more flexible working hours for parents, improved maternity benefits and financial incentives for larger families.

Dr Sidra Rashid Al Mansouri, an FNC member and Chairwoman of its Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, called for a review of traditional working arrangements to help mothers balance their careers with family responsibilities.

She proposed studying shorter working hours for working mothers, expanding flexible employment options and considering an extension of breastfeeding-hour entitlements beyond a child's first year.

Al Mansouri stressed that supporting women's participation in the workforce and encouraging family stability were complementary objectives rather than competing priorities.

FNC member Sultan bin Yaqoub Al Zaabi highlighted rising living costs and stagnant salaries as challenges for families considering having more children.

He proposed progressive financial incentives linked to the number of children, arguing that additional support could help families meet the costs of raising four, five or six children.

Fellow FNC member Naama Al Sharhan called for a unified national strategy bringing together federal and local initiatives supporting marriage, family stability and childbirth.

She also proposed additional incentives and benefits for families with four or five children.

Fertility treatment costs

Access to fertility treatment has emerged as another concern, with some couples facing substantial medical expenses and limited insurance coverage.

FNC member Sumaya Abdullah Al Suwaidi said fertility treatment could cost more than Dh45,000 for a single cycle in some cases, creating financial, emotional and physical pressures on families.

She proposed expanding health insurance coverage for Emiratis to include infertility treatment and assisted reproductive services at accredited private medical centres.

Al Suwaidi also called for a specialised federal fertility centre in the northern emirates to improve access to treatment and reduce the financial burden on families travelling elsewhere for medical care.

Abu Dhabi records largest number of births

The ministry's figures showed that Abu Dhabi continued to record the highest number of births nationwide, reaching 39,333 in 2024, including 15,628 Emirati newborns.

Dubai followed with 37,834 births, including 7,126 Emiratis, while Sharjah recorded 15,242 births, including 2,549 Emiratis.

The remaining emirates recorded 7,045 births in Ajman, 3,223 in Ras Al Khaimah, 2,904 in Fujairah and 1,334 in Umm Al Quwain.

The data also highlighted differing trends among emirates. Abu Dhabi recorded a decline in Emirati births from 17,143 in 2021 to 15,628 in 2024, while Dubai saw an increase from 6,487 to 7,126 during the same period.

Dr Ahmed Al Barkani, a social guidance consultant, called for more detailed and consistent demographic research to understand the causes of the decline.

He stressed that policymakers needed to distinguish between the number of births and fertility rates, taking into account the number of Emirati women of reproductive age and their age distribution.

He recommended expanding access to affordable housing, childcare, flexible working arrangements and reproductive healthcare, while regularly evaluating the effectiveness of family support initiatives.