Opinion | Trend of low fertility in Hong Kong is here to stay, whatever the government may do

Paul Yip says the latest findings confirm the city’s intractable below-replacement birth rate. Yet, while efforts to raise the rate are likely to be futile, couples who want to raise kids should still be given the support they need

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Hong Kong couples need more concrete support to remove barriers to having children. Financial incentives, strengthened social support for parents, free preschool education and improvement in the quality of education are some of the preferred measures. Photo: Roy Issa

Published: 7:31am, 8 Dec 2018Updated: 9:27am, 8 Dec 2018

The latest findings by the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong have confirmed the persistently low fertility among married couples. The survey has been conducted every five years, since 1967, tracking fertility levels for married women. It shows the average number of children born to Hong Kong couples has remained low, between 1.2 and 1.3 – well below the replacement level of 2.1. There has been no sign of a significant rebound, but the worst seems to be over at least; despite hardships, fertility levels are not expected to go down further.

Another important result concerns the gap between the ideal and actual number of children. The survey found that women’s ideal number has remained at about 1.6 since 2002 but they had on average 1.28 children, only slightly higher than the record low of 1.24 in 2012. The proportion of women with one child (38.5 per cent) has continued to rise over the past 20 years and exceeds the proportion of women with two children (34 per cent).

Sharp rise in infertile couples seeking IVF treatment to have a baby

It is an important issue for married women, especially as some 15 per cent said they are undecided about having children – a 30-year high. The “heavy financial burden” and “heavy responsibilities” were cited as the main reasons for having no children or only one child. “Wanting more time and space for personal development” was the third-most-common reason given by women who did not wish to have any children.

Financial incentives seem to be more effective for couples without children, but the impact of such support diminishes for those who already have kids, as they have real experience of the difficulties involved in raising children. They put more emphasis on accessibility to quality child care, for example. Overall, the experience of raising the first child has an important influence on the decision whether to have another.

People getting married at an older age is also a contributing factor to a low birth rate. Expensive housing, long working hours, and unstable working conditions are some reasons why people delay getting wed in Hong Kong.