Fertility Trends Today: A glance at the IFFS Triennial Report 2025

As we wrap up the first quarter of the 21st century, families in most places of the world are having fewer children than a few decades ago. This is not a sudden change, but a long-term global trend. According to the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) Triennial Report 2025, fertility rates have been declining in most countries since the 1950s, shaping new demographic and social realities.

The IFFS is a global network of national fertility societies that works closely with international health bodies to track reproductive trends, policies, and practices across countries. Its triennial reports are among the most comprehensive global sources on fertility patterns and the use of assisted reproductive technologies, offering a broad picture of how societies are responding to changing reproductive realities.

In fact, by 2021, population numbers had already begun to decline in 56 countries worldwide, and more are expected to follow. While the COVID-19 pandemic led to a short and temporary rise in births in some places, this increase did not last. Overall, the global trend of lower fertility continues.

These global shifts are not distant from everyday life in Qatar.

Family remains a central value in Qatari society, closely connected to faith, care, and social responsibility. At the same time, Qatar, like many countries, is experiencing changes in education, work patterns, marriage timing, and family size. These changes influence how people think about having children and when they feel ready to do so.

The IFFS report also highlights the growing global use of assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF and fertility preservation. Today, more than half of countries worldwide offer some form of support for fertility treatment. While these technologies are often discussed in medical terms, their impact goes far beyond the clinic. They raise questions about emotions, expectations, family involvement, and long-term planning.

In Qatar as well as the rest of the globe, fertility decisions are rarely individual decisions alone. They are shaped within families and guided by shared values, cultural norms, and religious understanding. For this reason, fertility cannot be understood only through statistics or medical success rates. It is a lived social experience.

Reproductive futures not only about technology. They are about families, care, and how societies support people in making meaningful choices about their lives.