Finland is expected to see more babies born this year than previously thought, according to Kela, the country’s social insurance institution. The agency says applications for baby boxes have also increased year on year during the first eight months of the year.

Kela says the rise in applications is one of the early signs that birth rates may be turning upward. The baby box application is linked to a child’s birth and to early family support, so the development is being watched closely by officials and by those following population trends.

The final number of births has not yet been published, and the picture could still change before the end of the year. Kela has not given any explanation for what may be driving the shift.