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Worries about the impact of global climate change significantly influences the desire to have children.

Financial concerns and lack of childcare often bias women to delay the decision to have children.

A smaller global population will alleviate some strain on global food systems and fragile environments.

Eighteen years ago, the average fertility rate in the United States was 2.08; today, according to statistics recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average fertility rate is now about 1.5. The so-called “replacement rate,” where couples replace themselves in society, is 2.10, meaning that couples should have at least two children to maintain a stable population (the number reflects a correction for childhood mortality). Currently, all the states, with the exception of South Dakota, have below-replacement levels; states in the Northeast have exceptionally low fertility rates that range from 1.2 to 1.4. Fifty years ago, parenthood was almost an obligation. Things have changed dramatically.

Political Responses and Global Fertility Comparisons

Politicians have noticed. Last year, the Trump administration advanced a few policies to encourage couples to have children, such as making the child tax credit permanent and a one-time financial baby bonus for children born through 2028. Conservative politicians have berated women who choose to remain childless. In 2021, then-Senator J. D. Vance complained that our country had too many “childless cat ladies.” However, remaining childless is not unique to American women. During the past half century, birth rates all over the world, including China, Japan, Europe, and the United States, have been declining dramatically. In contrast, some African countries have very high fertility rates among teenagers: Niger recently reported 6.6 births per woman, and Chad and Somalia both reported 6.0 births per........

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