GENEVA

France's birth rate saw another decline after hitting its lowest in 2022 since the end of World War II, the National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) said Thursday. 

"In the first half of 2023, there are 24,400 fewer births than in 2022, a drop of 6.8%," it said. "Cumulatively over the first eight months of 2023, there are around 35,000 fewer births than over the same period of 2022, a drop of 7.2%."

The agency said June 2023 marked the 12th consecutive month of declines.

"Apart from the months of January and February 2021, affected by the (COVID-19) confinement of spring 2020, the months at the start of 2023 correspond to the lowest monthly birth numbers recorded since 1994," it said.

In 2022, about 726,000 babies were born -- 2.2% less than in 2021, hitting the lowest number of births since the end of World War II, according to INSEE.