The Reason Behind Declining Birth Rates, Despite Desire for Children

People worldwide are having fewer children, and in many cases, it’s not because they don’t desire them. The global fertility rate has halved since the 1960s, falling below the level required to maintain current populations in many countries. Nearly 20% of adults from 14 countries believe they won’t be able to have the number of children they wish, according to the United Nations Population Fund, with barriers such as financial limitations, lack of medical care, and fear for the state of the world hindering their fertility and reproductive choices. While many are open to having more children if the circumstances were right, some governments are introducing policies that further impede reproductive rights, which could have a negative impact on the population’s demographic situation. Financial issues, reproductive obstacles, and concerns about the world’s future climate and political stability are other factors leading to a decrease in desired fertility rates.

Source: https://time.com/7294161/fertility-rate-decline/