Babies by the numbers
CNN ’s featureon the recent rise in US birth rates (our fertility rate is now at 2.1) offered up some interesting analysis on the rise of the rate. Citing everying from the rise in ethnic minority births (we have known, of course for sometime that the Latin birth rate was on the rise) and regional birth rate differences (the south far out births New England) and then the question of course, of the teenage pregnancy rate. Which suddenly appears to be up (really confounding to me as the rate has been steadily declining - so I am going to wonder and reserve judgement on this one). Above and beyond he usual - cool to be pregnant discussion which then leads to the celebrity pregnancy discussion which then leads to the year of the unwed pregnancy (really how do we get to these conclusions?) - I am partial Nan Marie Astone’s explanation which is very much in sync with the Forty Weeks world view — this is not political rather it is experiential.
“Americans like children. We are the only people who respond to prosperity by saying, `Let’s have another kid,”‘ said Nan Marie Astone, associate professor of population, family and reproductive health at Johns Hopkins University.
And so if you are feeling curious this morning, the next thing to wonder is what will happen to our birth rate as we begin to move away from feelings of national prosperity? I will tell you that being in London last month did lots for me (and and for biz, but that latter) - but it did not make me feel prosperous. Stay tuned….