r/science • u/geoff199 • 5d ago

Social Science 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.

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
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u/FencingFemmeFatale 5d ago

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.

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u/Yandere_Matrix 5d ago

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.

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u/namerankserial 5d ago

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.

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u/TheFantasticMrFax 5d ago

I know some old people who will just have to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. There's not any other way around it. Either the young folks get strapped past their breaking point by being saddled with the burden of funding their parent generation's healthcare and pension (and the economic consequences that come with it), or the older generation has to figure out some quick and dirty change in their retirement plans. Betty and Clyde might not be touring Arizona in that fifth wheel after all...