MOSCOW, May 25 (RIA Novosti) – The birth rate in Russia grew by 5.6 percent year-on-year in 2012, Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said on Friday.
“In 2012, birth rate increased by 5.6 percent – from 12.6 to 13.3 [births] per 1,000 people,” she said.
She added that the number of abortions fell by 5.5 percent, or by 53,900, due to state measures to support pregnant women living in difficult circumstances.
About 3,000 babies were born with the aid of advanced assisted reproductive technologies, the minister said.