Story perspectives

U.S. Fertility Hits Record Low Amid Postponement Trend

4/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

Federal data show U.S. fertility declined to a new low last year after the Great Recession.
Demographers say this may represent a temporary lull rather than a baby bust, as women postpone childbirth into their 30s or 40s.
The trend, called a “postponement transition,” mirrors patterns seen in Europe during the 1990s and in the U.S. during the 1970s.
In both periods, women who postponed childbirth eventually had children, suggesting that overall births may not decrease significantly.

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Story summary

Federal data show U.S. fertility declined to a new low last year after the Great Recession.
Demographers say this may represent a temporary lull rather than a baby bust, as women postpone childbirth into their 30s or 40s.
The trend, called a “postponement transition,” mirrors patterns seen in Europe during the 1990s and in the U.S. during the 1970s.
In both periods, women who postponed childbirth eventually had children, suggesting that overall births may not decrease significantly.