Decades-long drop in U.S. fertility rate sparks theories - Dr. Marc Kahn weighs in - KSNV
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America's decades-long fertility collapse has spawned competing theories — from skyrocketing childcare costs to cultural shifts — and no single framework can fully explain why fewer people are choosing to have children.
Demographic Transition TheoryRational Choice TheorySecond Demographic TransitionOpportunity Cost
Theory Briefing
- U.S. fertility rates have been declining for decades, prompting a wave of competing explanations from economists, sociologists, and health experts.
- Soaring childcare costs are among the leading theories, framing parenthood as an increasingly irrational economic choice under rational-choice models.
- The rise of birth control access is also cited, illustrating how technological empowerment reshapes demographic trends at a population scale.