U.S. birth rates slide as Millennials enter the age of marriage and childbearing

[DC Al Fine]

Among my group of friends:
24, married, one child
29, married, three children
25, married, two children
26, single, no kids
24, married, no kids (plans on starting after med school)
21, married, wife's pregnant
30, married, six children
22, single, no kids

Me: 21, getting married in 8 weeks.

This is of course, not remotely typical.

[DC Al Fine]

Oh and to answer the policy question, there isn't much the government can do. This is more a cultural and really broad stroke economic thing more than anything else.

Young people need stable finances, and have to want to settle down in order to raise birth rates. Sure, longer maternity leaves and childcare subsidies will help alleviate worst of the symptoms, but birth rates won't rise substantially unless those bigger issues are solved. I'm not sure the government can do that.