In September, Polish women gave birth to 20,777 children, while foreign mothers living in Poland delivered 1,197. Similar figures were recorded in previous months, with 1,189 babies born to foreign mothers in August and 1,262 in July.
Certain regions see a higher proportion of foreign births. For example, in Lubuskie and Mazowieckie provinces, one in 10 births is to a foreign mother, and in Lower Silesia, it's as high as one in nine. In contrast, regions like Kujawsko-Pomorskie report a much lower rate, with only one in 47 births attributed to foreign mothers.
Driving factors
Bartosz Marczuk, a social policy expert from the Sobieski Institute, attributes this trend to several factors. Poland is home to approximately 2.3–2.5 million foreigners, including nearly one million women, predominantly Ukrainian, of childbearing age (15–49 years). The higher quality of life in Poland and the phenomenon of "catch-up births"—delayed childbirths—also play a significant role.
Marczuk compares the current trend to a similar wave seen a decade ago, when Polish women began having children in countries like the UK and Ireland after settling there. “When people settle in a country, secure jobs, and feel stable, they are more likely to decide to have children,” he explained.
Regional variations
Mateusz Łakomy, a demography expert from the Jagiellonian Club, notes that regions with high percentages of foreign births, such as Lubuskie, suggest an increasing number of Polish-Ukrainian unions. This results in higher birth rates among children without Polish citizenship compared to areas like Silesia or Greater Poland, which also have large Ukrainian populations.
Łakomy also highlights the “pendulum” lifestyle of some mothers, who split their time between Poland and Ukraine. “Poland offers safer conditions, better living standards, and superior hospital care,” he said. These factors continue to attract families to settle or have children in Poland, reinforcing the country's growing role as a hub for migrants in Central and Eastern Europe.
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Source: PAP