The number of babies born in Scotland fell to a record low for the third consecutive year, new figures show.

Data published by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows there were 45,067 live births registered in 2025, almost 696 fewer than the year before and the lowest annual total since records began in 1855.

For the 11th consecutive year deaths also continue to outnumber births across the country. The gap between deaths and births has generally widened since 2014.

The NRS said the figures will "inform debate and decision-making" across the public and private sectors as the makeup of the country changes.

For a population to replace itself, if there was no migration, the total fertility rate needs to be around 2.1 - which is the number of children born to each woman.

Scotland's total fertility rate also dropped last year, falling to 1.23, down from 1.24 in 2024 - the lowest rate since the start of the NRS-published time series in 1951.

The last time the country's total fertility rate was above this level was 1973.

However, Scotland's population increase slightly in the year to June 2025, with the increase driven by migration instead of births.

The report also shows the number of stillbirth babies and adoptions.

Stillbirths were found to have increased in Scotland in the last year, with the number rising to 188 up from 159 in 2024. This represents a rate of 4.2 for every thousand live and stillbirths.

However, last year's rate (3.5) was the joint lowest stillbirth rate for any year, and remains historically low.

The infant death rate also decreased, dropping from 3.5 for every thousand live births in 2024, to 3.3 in 2025.

Adoptions also fell from 369 in 2024 to 340 in 2025.

In 2025, 27,191 marriages took place in Scotland, 236 more than the year before.

Of those, 4% were same-sex marriages and 96% were mixed sex.

Civil partnerships also increased, rising to 944 in 2025 - the highest number since 2006 when the first full year of civil partnerships were available.

The figures come as part of an annual release from the NRS which covers births, marriages, deaths and other vital life events from Scotland's Registrar General.

Registrar General and National Records of Scotland Chief Executive Alison Byrne said: "This is the eleventh year in a row where deaths have outnumbered births and the third in a row where we have a new record low for the number of births in Scotland.

"Generations of change are captured in these figures.

"This data will inform debate and decision-making across the public and private sectors, as we consider what this means for our future."