Abortion is contributing to a decline in births in the United States, and it could become a staggering problem.
2017 marked the fewest births in the U.S. since 1987: a mere 3.8 million. Each year since 2014 has seen a falling fertility rate. One important measure of a country’s health is how close its total fertility rate (the number of children 1000 women aged 15-44 would hypothetically have over their lives) is to its replacement rate (the ideal fertility rate for a country’s population to remain stable).
With a fertility rate of 1,765 per 1000 but a replacement rate of 2,100, the U.S. is at risk of severe economic and cultural problems. With a continuing decline in births, the U.S. might not be able to replace the aging workforce or provide enough tax revenue to sustain its government.
The problem of falling fertility rates in the U.S. is, of course, a multivariate one. Some, like Professor Donna M. Strabino from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, point to women becoming more educated and career-driven while putting off children until later in life. Others have suggested a fear of economic stability which stems from the recession. Younger adults know what it was like during the most recent recession and how hard it was on families; therefore, they are choosing to wait until they have consistent stability and finances before having a family.
Another reason for the falling birth rate could be the mistreatment of pregnant mothers by some employers. The law firm Morrison Foerster was recently sued for putting women on the “mommy track,” which apparently led to unfair treatment and fewer opportunities. It would seem some women believe they have to choose between career advancement and motherhood, which could be a contributing factor in the continuous decline in annual birth rates.
These are all valid explanations for America’s declining births each year; however, one cannot overlook the effect abortion has had. There has been a decline in the number of abortions over the past few years, but that number remains astronomical at close to one million in 2014 and over 60 million since Roe v. Wade.
Other countries are experiencing similar issues as well, China is considering removing the Two-Child Policy and forced abortion because of the below-average birth rate required to replace the population.
Abortion is consistently used as a means of birth control and family planning without regard to the life of the preborn baby or our future. Groups like Planned Parenthood, which continuously perform more abortions each year, continue to fight for what they call a “reproductive right for women.” Unfortunately, this so-called “right” is leading to the extermination of future generations. America is killing its future in the name of female liberation.
In order to reach the replacement level in America and prevent a national crisis in the future, we must immediately start working to make abortion unthinkable and unavailable.
