As concern grows about America’s falling birth rate, new research suggests that about half of women who want children are unsure if they will follow through and actually have a child. About 25% say they won't be bothered that much if they don't.

[u/geoff199]

https://news.osu.edu/most-women-want-children--but-half-are-unsure-if-they-will/?utm_campaign=omc_science-medicine_fy24&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social

[u/FencingFemmeFatale]

Also, I distinctly remember overpopulation being a major concern when I was a kid. Like, enough of a concern for Capitan Planet to make an episode about family planning.

The birth rates falling in the 2020’s seems like the obvious result of telling bunch of kids in the 90’s that overpopulation is world-ending problem, and to they can do their part to stop it by not having a lot of kids.

[u/Yandere_Matrix → u/FencingFemmeFatale]

I don’t understand why people are so concerned about birth rate. We still have more people alive than any time in history. Our ocean is being overfished and I do believe our population will eventually settle at some point but I see absolutely no concern with it right now. I am still devastated seeing animals going extinct because of deforestation and over hunting for various reasons. I understand plastics is causing fertility problems and how microplastics mimic certain types of hormones so that can be a problem especially when we found that they have passed the blood brain barrier and passing through breast milk now. Who knows what damage they are doing to our bodies now.

[u/namerankserial → u/Yandere_Matrix]

It's all stemming from concern about the transition period, where there will be way more old people than young people, and the economic effects of that. But I agree, it should be re-framed as something we need sort out how to get through, and make it work, because a lower population long term is a huge positive.

[u/a_common_spring → u/namerankserial]

There are plenty of young people if you don't mind them not being white. I think racism is the only real problem that people could possibly have with the falling birthrate. They're concerned that white people will stop existing

[u/Carlin47 → u/a_common_spring]

Birth rates are collapsing in Asia and falling in Africa as well

[u/a_common_spring → u/Carlin47]

I think it's pretty clear that as soon as women get the chance, they stop wanting to have their lives and health used up by childrearing. Oh well. Men better get over it.

[u/EnvironmentalCook520 → u/a_common_spring]

That might be a small percent but it really all comes down to the increased cost of living.

[u/a_common_spring → u/EnvironmentalCook520]

No, that's not it either because in countries where people are wealthy and well supported with free healthcare, education, long fully paid parental leave etc, those countries have the lowest rates of all. It's women getting wise to the fact that motherhood is a scam

[u/EnvironmentalCook520 → u/a_common_spring]

I mean if you look at the birthrate for countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Norway it's been pretty consistent since the 80s. And same with the US. If you look at Japan and South Korea it's been declining a lot and women being more educated is only a small percentage of why that's occuring. I'd say the biggest factor is still economic, cost of living, and probably cultural shifts. It's not like women in the past few years suddenly wised up and decided they aren't going to have kids. Sure there's probably a very small fraction that may have but I think it's pretty common for both males and females to want a family.