Hello,
it seems my population growth is capped at 1000. Villagers are only born at the rate of mortality after that.
If I have 998 villagers, 2 will be born - bringing the total back to 1000.
If I have 999 villagers, 1 will be born - bringing the total back to 1000.
Village is at max happiness, there is food aplenty and housing for hundreds more villagers.
I have equipped the tears of the mother relic which is supposed to boost fertility. I thought the relic might be buggy, so i unequipped it, still nothing.