Why Are Americans Having Fewer Babies?

In recent years, the number of babies being born in the U. S. has been dropping. This is partly because fewer people are involved in religious activities. A study from Pew in 2024 found that about 29% of Americans do not identify with any religion. This is a big jump from 13% in 2007. Experts say that when people are not part of a religious community, they might find it harder to have and raise children. This is because religious groups often provide support systems that make parenting easier. For example, in Europe, when the number of nuns went down, so did the birth rates among Catholics. This was because the nuns had been running schools, hospitals, and other services that helped families. The U. S. fertility rate, which is the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime, is now around 1. 6. This is below the 2. 1 needed to keep the population stable without immigration. However, people who attend religious services regularly tend to have more children, around 2 per woman. But just believing in a religion is not enough. Experts say that people need to actively participate in their faith for it to have an impact on their family life. This includes finding a partner and having children. Another reason religious people might have more children is that they tend to get married earlier and have stronger support networks. This includes help from family, friends, and their religious community.