Home – Home – Jornals – Region: Economics and Sociology 2025 number 3

The article reviews over long intervals the transition that took place during the Soviet period from an expanded to a narrowed regime of reproduction of the population in Russia, which inevitably leads to depopulation, first latently, and then openly. It is shown that a widespread practice of abortion, which has significantly reduced the number of newborns for a long time, has become the most important factor contributing to the general decreasing trend in the total fertility rate below the threshold level of simple reproduction. In the early 1960s, there was a rapid increase in the number of artificial abortions, accompanied by a drop in fertility. The peak number of abortions recorded in 1965 coincided exactly with the start of the latent phase of depopulation in Russia. In the post-Soviet period, despite a considerable reduction in the number of abortions, both in absolute and relative terms, their number is still high. This has a significant impact on fertility decline, although in recent years the official statistics indicate that there is now less than one abortion for every two births. The article briefly describes the century-old history of legalized abortion in Russia. Its extremely important role in reducing fertility and depopulation in our country is revealed. The long-term and widespread abortive practices, reflecting the reluctance to procreate, systematically undermined the demographic potential and caused enormous damage to demographic security in several important areas for many decades. The authors cite the dynamics of the number of abortions per 100 births in the federal districts in the post-Soviet period, as well as the differentiation of this indicator at the level of federation subjects. The eastern territories consistently show the worst results: the Ural, Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts. In recent years, the Siberian Federal District has been ranked first in the country in terms of the number of abortions per 100 births. Among the Siberian regions, the Novosibirsk Oblast stands out, which for many years has been the district leader in this indicator. It is concluded that prevention and minimization of the number of abortions while conducting a well-thought-out and balanced demographic and socio-economic policy aimed at strengthening the family as a pillar of society and improving its financial situation could become a counter-force for increasing the birth rate, especially significant in the context of a prolonged decline in the number of reproductive female populations. The results obtained during the study can be used by federal and regional authorities to make managerial decisions aimed at preventing and reducing the number of abortions, as well as in developing new demographic policy measures and improving socio-economic development strategies in order to create moral and material conditions in society favorable for birth and upbringing of children.