The U.S. birthrate fell by 4 percent in 2020, hitting a record low, according to the Centers for Disease Control. People are having fewer children than the 2.1 needed to maintain a steady population. That’s been true for years across all domestic communities. 

According to a Brookings analysis, “U.S. fertility rates are likely to be considerably below replacement levels for the foreseeable future. This is driven by more than a decade of falling birth rates and declining births at all ages for multiple cohorts of women, not simply the aftermath of the pandemic-induced reduction in births.”

Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly why people want fewer children. Others are finding that even if they wanted more children, a rise in infertility might make making them a lot harder. 

Why is the birth rate in the U.S. right now so low? And if we can find ways to encourage people to have more children, should we?

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