Poland faces rising childlessness and senior population pressures

At a Warsaw conference on demographic change, Prof. Irena E. Kotowska distinguished between voluntary and forced childlessness in Poland, noting a growing share of women choosing not to have children and an increase in women unable to conceive for health reasons. She highlighted the lack of systemic support for infertility treatment, which is listed in disease registries but not adequately funded, and called for broader pro‑family policies that include infertility services. Kotowska also pointed to shifting family structures, such as the rise in non‑marital unions and single‑parent households, driven by generational changes in marriage and child‑bearing decisions.

Separate research presented by the Polish Blind Association underscored Poland’s rapid ageing. GUS data show 9.9 million people aged 60+ at the end of 2023, projected to rise to 11.9 million by 2060. The health system faces shortages: only 195 geriatric outpatient clinics and 62 wards with roughly 1,200 beds exist nationwide. One‑third of seniors take at least five medications daily, raising polypharmacy risks. Experts called for coordinated, multidisciplinary care, stronger preventive programs, and expanded geriatric services to manage the growing burden of chronic disease and medication safety.