Although Mayotte experienced a slight decrease in births in 2023, INSEE emphasizes that three quarters concern mothers of foreign origin. This often seems motivated by the hope of obtaining French nationality.
Drop of 500
In 2023, Mayotte recorded 10,280 births, down 500 compared to the previous year, but still above the 2019 level. This department remains in the lead in terms of fertility with 4.5 children per woman, well beyond the national average of 1.6, reports The Journal of Mayotte. Births remain mainly attributed to foreign mothers (75%), mainly Comorian (67%), while births to French mothers have fallen by 3%. The fertility of young women is particularly high, with 1.3 children on average for 15-24 year olds, compared to 0.2 in mainland France. In 2023, 430 children were born to minor mothers, including 120 under the age of 16. Mayotte represents 20% of births to young mothers in France.
> Also read: Illegal immigration: a lack of data which slows down assessments in Mayotte
Other figures
Also in 2023, 7,090 births were recorded at the CHM maternity ward, or 69% of the total, while 680 births took place outside the maternity ward. Furthermore, infant mortality reached 960 deaths, an increase of 23% since 2019. Life expectancy at Mayotte remains lower than that of France, with 74.3 years for women and 73.9 years for men. In 2024, the first nine months show a drop in births (-13%) and an increase in deaths (+11%), accentuating the demographic trends observed the previous year.
> Allnews in Mayotte on LINFO.re
France
