The fertility rate is the total number of children that a hypothetical group of women would have at the end of their reproductive years. The fertility rate is simply expressed as children per woman.

The world population surpassed one billion at the beginning of the nineteenth century, marking a momentous milestone. Likewise, this number increased eightfold during the next 220 years. Culminating in the present world population of 8 billion people, with half of this increase occurring since 1975.

Advances in healthcare and nutrition have enabled the world’s population to expand indefinitely. However, the United Nations anticipates that due to diminishing birth rates, this fast development will decelerate and may perhaps come to a standstill by 2100.

Understanding fertility rates and the causes for their reduction is critical for understanding the situation. The total fertility rate is the average number of births per woman over the span of her life. However, this evaluation is based on two essential assumptions: The woman will survive till her reproductive years and
the mother will give birth in line with the existing age-specific fertility rates.

When estimating future fertility rates, both assumptions add some uncertainty. Nonetheless, historical data gathered by the World Bank over several decades aids in revealing general global trends and patterns in a variety of nations. The global fertility rate has been continuously declining since the 1970s.

The global fertility rate in 2020 was 2.3, declining to -0.41% every year. This marks a greater than twofold decrease from 4.7 in 1960. However, the worldwide average masks significant differences in fertility rates between nations.

Why is the Fertility Rate Declining?

The declining fertility rate can be influenced by various reasons. Major are:

Improved access to contraception: The increased availability and use of contraceptive techniques has led to a reduction in unplanned births.

Women today have greater educational and employment alternatives beyond childbearing, which has resulted in a shift in priorities and a delay in beginning a family.

Improved healthcare reduces child mortality: Medical advancements have greatly reduced child death rates, lowering the need for greater family sizes to ensure survival.

Due to high infant mortality rates in the past, larger birth rates were required. Women were mostly restricted to childbearing and lacked access to contraceptives, leading to an increase in unintended births.

According to a recent survey, young people’s plans to have children have remained pretty stable over time. Women born between 1995 and 1999 reported a desire for an average of 2.1 children between the ages of 20 and 24, which is similar to the 2.2 children sought by women born between 1965 and 1969 at the same age. According to the study, today’s young individuals may have challenges in having the desired number of children owing to adverse conditions for establishing a family in the United States.

Likewise, a study was done by researchers from The Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to assess data from the National Survey of Family Growth. According to the survey, people are not having as many children as they would want due to the difficulties and restrictions of raising children, economic and societal influences, and the Great Recession of 2008. It also admits that the COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable impact on reproduction, although it is unclear if fertility rates would recover.

Its Consequences

The repercussions of declining birth rates vary from the issues provided by the existing high global population. When reproduction rates fall below replacement, a new set of problems arises. Similarly, one of the most significant repercussions is the possibility of diminishing populations and an increased number of older people in comparison to the working-age population. This demographic transition may have negative economic consequences, such as increased healthcare expenses and a loss in the tax base.

While short-term measures such as immigration can help to lessen the impact until populations stabilize, longer-term solutions are required to address the underlying issues. These techniques frequently include measures aimed at decreasing the financial burden of childrearing and improving assistance for families with children.

It is worth emphasizing that the current generation has never witnessed a significant population decline on a worldwide scale. As a result, this demographic transition has the potential to alter many areas of human existence, such as livelihoods, priorities, and goals.

Developed Nations Like the U.S, South Korea, and Japan’s Plunging Fertility Rate

Birth rates in the United States have been dropping since the mid-twentieth century. However, the Baby Boom peaked in the mid-twentieth century. After that, birth rates declined during the Baby Bust of the 1970s.

Birth rates fell sharply during the Great Recession, from 2007 to 2009, and this trend has continued. In 2007, the average birth rate was about two children per woman. Some argue that young people’s declining interest in having children is a contributing factor to this decrease.

Similarly, Japan has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, with the Ministry of Health estimating that the country would have fewer than 800,000 births in 2022 for the first time since records began in 1899. This has resulted in a rising dilemma marked by a fast-aging society and a diminishing workforce. Additionally, there is a scarcity of young people to maintain the stagnant economy. Experts attribute Japan’s low birth rate to a variety of problems, including high living costs and restricted living space. Another contributing factor is the poor childcare support in cities. Furthermore, urban spouses often find themselves separated from extended family members who could provide additional support.

Additionally, South Korea has beaten its own record for the lowest fertility rate in the world. Dropping to 0.81, a 0.03% decline from the previous year. This is much lower than in other nations such as the United States and Japan. In those countries, rates were at their lowest on record last year. However, fertility rates in certain African nations are substantially higher, reaching 5 or 6 children per woman. Thus, efforts to reverse this tendency have proved difficult.

Also read: Japan Longer Life Expectancy: Unveiling the Truth!