In 2024, only 21.2% of Italians aged 18 to 49 said they plan to have a child within the next three years, down from 25% in 2003. More than 10.5 million people report that they do not intend to have children at all.
Economic reasons are cited by one third of respondents, followed by job insecurity and the absence of a partner. Half of women believe that having a child negatively affects their career prospects, compared to just 59% of men who see no impact on their work lives.
Italy’s fertility rate has fallen to 1.18 children per woman, confirming a long-term demographic decline driven by precarious employment, rising living costs and changing lifestyles.