N Kazakhstan records decline in birth rate

3,791 babies were born in the past eight months in North Kazakhstan region. The birth rate in the region declined by 1.6%, Kazinform Agency reports.

Healthcare department head Kumar Kusemisov said the birth rate has been falling over the past five years due to the outflow of the childbearing group.

The lowest birth rates were recorded in Yessil and Akkaiyn districts, while the highest in Ualikhanov and Akzhar districts. For the past nine months, there was recorded one maternal death in Petropavlovsk. He stressed last year  no maternal deaths were registered in the region.

 37 babies under 1 year old died in the said period against 51 babies died last year. The highest infant death rate was seen in three districts.