The majority of people over 50 say financial concerns, health complications, and global issues keep them from having the number of children they want.
Over half of these individuals cite various financial constraints like affordability of housing, childcare, and job stability as reasons for limiting their families.
One in four are hindered by health concerns, while a quarter are worried about global crises such as climate change, wars, and pandemics.
These results stem from an extensive United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) survey involving more than 14,000 participants across 14 countries worldwide, spanning five continents and home to one-third of the global population.
Birth rates worldwide have been on the decline, while people continue to live longer, leading to concerns about future economic support for the elderly by working-age generations.
“Many individuals are prevented from having their desired family,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, the executive director of the UNFPA.
The real issue is the lack of options rather than a lack of desire, and it has significant impacts on individuals and societies. This is the core of the true fertility crisis, and the answer must be to support what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility treatment, and supportive partners.
Global Differences
The survey encompasses four European nations, four in Asia, three from Africa, and three from the Americas, aiming to represent diverse cultural perspectives, fertility levels, and policy approaches.
This variety includes countries with the highest and lowest fertility rates globally, such as South Korea and Nigeria, respectively.
Respondents from different countries exhibited varied outcomes, with notable discrepancies in desired family size based on location.
Fertility concerns were twice as prevalent in the US compared to Mexico. Financial challenges were cited by three-fifths of South Koreans, but less than one-fifth in Sweden, which offers comprehensive parental leave.
Despite substantial parental leave policies, birth rates in Sweden remain among the lowest, showing that promoting childbirth is a complex issue.
While discussions on declining fertility rates are common, one-third of those surveyed reported experiencing unintended pregnancies. This suggests that while people may not be having as many children as they wish, unintended conceptions remain a widespread issue.
One in eight individuals have faced both barriers to their ideal family size and unintended pregnancies, signaling widespread difficulties in achieving reproductive goals.
Potential Solutions
The crisis demands political intervention but warns against short-sighted and coercive policies that seek to control fertility through pressure to use or avoid contraception.
Attempts to manipulate fertility rates can backfire, as seen in countries like China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Turkey, which switched from trying to lower to trying to increase birth rates without success.
Data and Forensics team at Sky News presents this data highlighting the pressing need for effective solutions to the fertility crisis.
