The global population has grown to nearly 8 billion peopleA substantial increase 1.6 billion people in 1900. Despite periodic wars, famines and disease, Child and adult mortality has dropped significantly Thanks to improved medical care, hygiene and food sources. However, population growth has slowed considerably over the past 70 years.
Birth rates have fallen staggeringly in many countries. In 1900, U.S. women had an average of 3.9 children; 2020 average down to 1.8 children. United Nations population data show that the global population will grow at an annual rate of 1% in 2020, down from 2.1% in 1960.The growth rate is It is expected to drop to 0.1% by 2100. Population decline is inevitable when the birth rate is consistently lower than the death rate.
For many countries facing declining populations, this presents many problems with no obvious solutions.tech entrepreneur Elon Musk thinks “Population collapse may be the greatest risk to the future of civilization.”
First, the short history lessons are in order. In agricultural societies, children are a reliable workforce and economic asset.With the transition between Europe and the United States in the 19th century From agricultural society to industrialized society, children become a financial burden. Improved access to education, especially for women, has enabled them to take their rightful place in the workforce. Urbanization has increased the cost of food, child care and housing, and has forced many women and couples to delay or abandon home building. Enhanced contraception provides long-deserved reproductive options.
The total fertility rate (TFR), a measure of the expected number of births in a population, has declined as life expectancy increased from 1950 to the present. Birth rates among teens and women in their 20s and 30s have declined over the past decade, while those in 30s and 35s have remained stable and those over 35 have risen. In 2020, TFR in the US hit a record low. With fewer than 2,100 births per 1,000 women, the birth rate is too low for the population to replace itself. Decrease in TFR was observed in all ethnic groups.
Regional differences are obvious. TFR is Higher in western states such as Texas and Arizona More than the Northeastern states, likely due to climate preferences and a lower cost of living.Demographers note higher fertility rates in states that traditionally vote Republican in national elections, leading some to question whether Regional differences in fertility affect political outcomes.
Overseas, population declines are ominous.Life expectancy in Spain is 82.5 years 1.35 births per woman. The Spanish government expects to lose 5.6 million people by 2080, threatening the national economy and social welfare system.The number of births in China has declined by millions over the past two decades, and by 2040 nearly a third of China’s population is expected to will be 60 years old.
In Japan, the country’s population is expected to decrease by 25% over the next 30 years, with a loss of more than 30 million people.Japan also faces a special An increase in voluntary celibacy and disinterest in relationships. From 1971 to 2021, South Korea’s birth rate plummeted from 4.3 births per woman to 1.1 births per woman, A drop of nearly 75% in four years. Koreans over 55 now Must stay in the workforce longer to make up for the loss of young labor.
This phenomenon may already be happening in the United States.according to Lyman Stone of the American Enterprise Institutea public policy think tank, national polls show that American women are having fewer children than they initially expected.
A shrinking population places a huge burden on a country’s workforce, as there are fewer and fewer workers able to support a growing number of older people. Healthcare spending will continue to soar as the elderly population grows.
The need to fund the rising cost of health care and social services will lead to higher taxes, which will reduce household income. According to economist Richard Easterling, desire and expected income influence fertility decisions. If aspirations remain high but incomes are expected to fall, fertility rates are expected to fall further.
To address declining birth rates, many countries have adopted pro-maternity policies: monetary compensation for maternity, extended paid maternity and paternity leave, flexible working hours, and major workflow adjustments, such as work-from-home arrangements and on-site childcare Serve. While the recently revised Child Tax Credit in the U.S. provides subsidies to families with explicit poverty reduction goals, the subsidies may provide protection for parents who wish to have two or more children.Poor families paying federal income tax receive $3,600 per child Under 6, $3,000 per child 7 to 17 years old. Families will receive a federal income tax discount for each child.
Fertilityist strategies abound across the globe, but have yet to significantly address declining birth rates. A more practical strategy might be to promote fertility at the individual level, emphasizing access to maternity benefits through private sector employers rather than public policy.
Both the number and genetic quality of a woman’s eggs decline significantly with age, leading to a significant decrease in reproductive success As women approach their 30sWhen eggs are plentiful and genetically normal, women who plan to freeze their eggs for future births are wise.
Improvements in egg freezing technology dramatically increase pregnancy rates past 15 yearsSome women freeze their eggs before chemotherapy, ovarian surgery, or other medical indications, while others freeze eggs for social or economic reasons to delay childbearing. Egg freezing provides autonomy for women who wish to continue an active career, while maintaining fertility when they are ready to have children.
The term “selective” egg freezing, commonly used to refer to non-medical egg freezing, is neither sensitive nor ineffective. It falsely assumes that every woman has the necessary social and economic resources to start a family during her most fertile years. Egg freezing is a necessity for many women because it may be their only reasonable option for having a baby.
Traditionally, in the U.S., any procedure deemed “elective” could not be done through an employer-sponsored health plan. However, maternity benefits have gone beyond traditional boundaries. Companies such as Facebook, Google, Apple, Salesforce, Cisco, and Goldman Sachs offer maternity retention options to keep female employees fully engaged, thereby safeguarding productivity.
Egg freezing may be a surefire route to national and global change. Falling birth rates are placing an unsustainable burden on a dwindling workforce. Women are disproportionately affected, as increased occupational demands often interfere with their home-building plans.
Effective fertility policies are essential for women to optimize their career and motherhood plans. These pro-birth policies continue to evolve and have the potential to reduce the global decline in birth rates. At the same time, the reality is that egg freezing is not only an option but a necessity for many women.
Photo: shironosov, Getty Images
