Maternal deaths in the U.S. spiked in 2021, CDC reports
NPR Online NewsMAR 17 2023
According to US-led research, infertility rates are indeed increasing. In 1950, there were on average five children per woman, but in 2020, that number sharply declined to just two. Women and couples are having children later in life, many environmental factors and widely used medications impact fertility, and lifestyle factors such as alcohol and smoking can impact child conception. This is an important demographic issue.
There's too much focus on whether populations are rising in a "population bomb" or shrinking into a "population collapse" due to fertility and infertility rates. The emphasis should instead be on supporting people who are here with a safe, sustainable, and fulfilling life with dignity. It's vital to center the experiences of women across nations and cultures and provide support for their reproductive choices, whatever the context of fertility trends.