Re: Women in Their 20s May Not Be Having Babies, but by 45 Most Probably Will

The New York Times published an article about how the decline in the US birthrate is fueled by reduced teen births and women delaying pregnancy. We sent a letter in response, which wasn’t published, so we are featuring it here.

We encourage all our members and supporters to make their voices heard! See our media guide for advice on how to do that.

Re: Women in Their 20s May Not Be Having Babies, but by 45 Most Probably Will (April 9, 2026)

Thanks to Ms. Cain Miller for pointing out that US fertility decline is in large part driven by postponement of childbearing and much-needed progress toward reducing this country’s embarrassingly high teenage birthrate. Rightwing pronatalists who lament the “baby bust” are essentially lamenting the drop in teen pregnancies.

Medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel admitted as much on Fox News recently, declaring that “the problem is teens and young adults from ages 15 to 19, the fertility rate is down 7 percent, and it’s down 70 percent over the last two decades, meaning we’re telling people that are young not to have babies, to wait until they’re in a more stable life situation, until they’re more financially secure.”

Every reasonable person knows that children giving birth to children does not produce good outcomes for families or society. MAGA seems to think that high childhood poverty and low educational attainment are desirable.

We need to push back against the harmful “birth rate crisis” rhetoric. Low birthrates driven by women’s empowerment and thoughtful family planning decisions are a sign of societal advancement and are to be celebrated.

Sincerely, 

Olivia Nater
Communications Manager
Population Connection