Scotland recorded 10,832 births between April and June this year, a 5.2% drop compared to the five-year average for the same period.
At the same time, deaths fell to 14,461, which is 7.2% below the expected number, according to new figures from National Records of Scotland.
The expected death figure 15,577 takes into account both population growth and ageing.
It’s the latest sign of long-term demographic change, as the country faces both a falling birth rate and fewer deaths than forecast.
Every broad age group saw fewer deaths than expected, with female deaths down 7.5% and male deaths down 6.8%.
The number of stillbirths was 40 slightly below the average of 41 while infant deaths dropped to 32, down from an average of 42.
Phillipa Haxton, Head of Vital Events Statistics at NRS, said cancer remained the leading cause of death.
“Twenty-eight per cent of all deaths in quarter two were from cancer,” she said.
“Respiratory diseases, coronary heart disease, and Alzheimer’s and other dementias each accounted for 10%.
“Those four groups together caused nearly 60% of all deaths.”
There were 7,633 marriages registered, a small rise of 0.3% on the five-year average.
Same-sex marriages accounted for 4.2% of the total, above the five-year average of 3.5%.
Civil partnerships also rose slightly, with 223 registered during the quarter.
Of these, 85% were between mixed-sex couples, a legal option since 2021.
There were 34 same-sex civil partnerships, up from an average of 28.
