COVID-19 Vaccination Not Linked to Decreased Childbirth Rates, Swedish Study Finds

A study conducted by Linköping University in Sweden has concluded that COVID-19 vaccination is not associated with a decrease in childbirth rates. The findings address circulating claims that have linked vaccination to reduced fertility and indicate no statistically significant difference in childbirths or miscarriages between vaccinated and unvaccinated women.

The findings address circulating claims that have linked vaccination to reduced fertility and indicate no statistically significant difference in childbirths or miscarriages between vaccinated and unvaccinated women.

Background to the Study

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, claims had circulated, particularly on social media, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination could negatively impact the chances of becoming pregnant. Concurrently, a decrease in the number of children born was observed in some countries, including Sweden, during the later stages of the pandemic. These factors prompted researchers to investigate a potential link between COVID-19 vaccination and declining birth rates.

Methodology

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 60,000 women aged 18 to 45 years within Region Jönköping County, Sweden. The data collection period spanned from 2021 to 2024. Approximately 75% of the women included in the study had received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Information on childbirths, vaccinations, miscarriages, and deaths was sourced from healthcare records. The study compared pregnancy outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, adjusting for factors such as the woman's age.

Key Findings

The study identified no statistically significant difference in the rates of childbirths or registered miscarriages when comparing vaccinated women with unvaccinated women. This outcome aligns with multiple previous studies that have also found no association between COVID-19 vaccines and fertility.

Proposed Alternative Explanations for Birth Rate Decline

The researchers propose several alternative explanations for the observed decrease in childbirth rates in Sweden and other countries:

• Demographic Shift: A smaller cohort of individuals currently in their 30s—an age range typically associated with higher birth rates—were born during a period in the late 1990s characterized by financial difficulties and lower birth rates in Sweden. This results in a smaller pool of potential parents.
• Pandemic-Related Factors: Elements associated with the pandemic, such as broader health concerns, economic uncertainties, and altered social behaviors during lockdown periods, may have contributed to reduced childbirth rates.

Study Strengths and Publication

Key strengths of the study include its large sample size, which is considered representative of the national population, and its accounting for and adjustment of maternal age in the analysis.

The study received financial support from organizations including the Swedish Research Council. It was published in Communications Medicine on January 21, 2026.