Ukraine: Russian Attacks on Maternity Hospitals Linked to Birth Rate Decline

Russian attacks on maternity hospitals in Ukraine have led to a decline in birth rates, according to testimonies from women and a report by The Guardian. Since the start of the war, over 80 attacks on maternity hospitals have been recorded.

The Guardian visited three frontline maternity hospitals, documenting the difficulties faced by women and staff. In Kharkiv, births have significantly decreased, while in Sloviansk, the hospital receives patients from a wider area due to the closure of other clinics.

In Kherson, the maternity hospital operates in a windowless basement due to constant shelling. Doctors report an increase in premature births and uterine cancers. Katerina Osetsymska, 35, is hospitalized in an underground maternity ward in Kherson, waiting to give birth amidst constant bombings.

The attacks have caused a demographic crisis, with millions of women and children having left the country and women who remain fearing pregnancy and childbirth. In 2024, Ukraine recorded the lowest birth rate and the highest mortality rate in the world, according to the CIA's World Factbook.