Egypt has seen a sustained drop in births from 2018 to 2025, based on Ministry of Health data. This trend highlights the effects of family planning and reproductive health initiatives, even as caesarean section rates hover around 80% of all deliveries. The country's population grew by about 1.34 million people in 2025.
Egypt's Ministry of Health has documented a consistent decrease in the number of births from 2018 to 2025, drawing from its digital registration system for births and deaths that operates in over 5,000 healthcare facilities across the nation. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar attributed this pattern to the success of national family planning and reproductive health programs, coupled with broader service access and growing public awareness about planned and responsible childbearing.
The figures indicate that most governorates experienced fewer births in 2025 than in 2024, with just nine showing slight rises between 0.3% and 5%. However, caesarean sections continue at unusually high levels, comprising about 80% of all births nationwide in 2025. These rates surpassed 90% in Kafr El-Sheikh, Port Said, and Gharbeya, while Matrouh and South Sinai had the lowest, under 60%.
Abdel Ghaffar stated that the ministry is ramping up initiatives to cut down on medically unnecessary C-sections, enhance maternal and child health services, and encourage safe, evidence-based natural birthing methods. Deputy Health Minister Amr Kandil noted that Egypt's population rose by roughly 1.34 million in 2025, emphasizing population control as a core element of the nation's sustainable development goals.