After The Mini Baby Boom's Death: U.S. Fertility Rate Reaches Historic Low
After The Mini Baby Boom's Death: U.S. Fertility Rate Reaches Historic Low
The US birthrate has reached a historic low after slightly increasing and stagnating from 2020 to 2022. After the end of the miniature baby boom in 2023, the rise of return-to-office mandates, rising housing costs, and the end of the expanded child tax credit. People still wonder why the fertility rate started to decline rapidly again. Some, like Sarah Hayford, director of the Institute for Population Research at Ohio State University, say, "Not having children, or having fewer children, is becoming more socially acceptable." despite recent polls suggesting that Americans do want more children.
By the numbers
2% decline in US births from 2022 to 2023
3% drop in general fertility rate to 54.5 births per 1,000 females aged 15-44
4% decrease in birth rates for teenagers aged 15-19
1% decrease in mothers receiving first-trimester prenatal care
5% increase in mothers receiving no prenatal care
Between the lines
The accelerated decline follows a short-lived increase in births. Temporary factors like pandemic-related lifestyle changes and economic support measures may have shown us that the US can reduce or even reverse the downward trend using aggressive policy.
The bottom line
Economic factors and policy changes play a significant role, while others blame changing social norms. Understanding the interplay between these factors is crucial for addressing potential demographic challenges and supporting families who wish to have children.