Srilanka, Feb. 10 -- A total of 341,745 pregnancies were recorded in 2019, resulting in 319,010 live births. However, not all newborns were healthy, the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (CCPSL) said.

It was reported that nearly 1,600 babies were born still or died in the womb after 28 weeks (stillbirths) and 35% of them due to congenital deformities and other fetal disorders.

Consultant Community Physician Dr. Kapila Jayaratne, President of the CCPSL, said that a significant proportion of such pregnancies do not lead to healthy births.

Sri Lanka has seen a significant decline in birth rates, with numbers dropping from 319,000 in 2019 to 247,900 in 2023. Around 2,700 babies do not survive until their first birth day.

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