Poland records sharp drop in marriages driven by pregnancy

Research by demographer Prof. Piotr Szukalski at the University of Łódź shows that the share of "repair marriages"—unions formed because a child is expected—has fallen steadily over the past 25 years. In 2000, 40.7% of marriages led to a child within the first year, compared with 22.6% today, and the proportion of births within nine months of marriage dropped from over 33% to just 16%. At the same time, children born outside wedlock have risen to about one‑third of all births, up from 12.1% a decade earlier.

A parallel cultural portrait comes from Helena Třeštíková’s long‑running documentary series "Małżeńskie etiudy," which follows several couples who initially married for similar reasons. The series illustrates how many now delay marriage, prioritize personal development, and often have children before formalizing a partnership, reflecting the broader demographic shift noted by the professor.