Story perspectives

Finnish Study Links Church Decline to 30% Fertility Drop

7/5/2026

Summary

Story summary

Henrik-Alexander Schubert published a Finnish study that links declining church membership to a 30 % drop in fertility between 2010 and 2023.
The analysis showed that birth rates were higher among church members than non-members, that the gap widened, and that couples where both partners were members had the highest parenthood rate.
Twin fixed-effects sibling comparisons confirmed the link, indicating that maintaining 2000-level membership would have raised the 2019 birth rate.

1 of 1

Story summary

Henrik-Alexander Schubert published a Finnish study that links declining church membership to a 30 % drop in fertility between 2010 and 2023.
The analysis showed that birth rates were higher among church members than non-members, that the gap widened, and that couples where both partners were members had the highest parenthood rate.
Twin fixed-effects sibling comparisons confirmed the link, indicating that maintaining 2000-level membership would have raised the 2019 birth rate.