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

[DemPGH]

I'm under the impression that declining birthrates have been the trend in Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere in the first world for some time. I think people are just choosing not to have kids because of the time, the money, the sacrifice. Most of my friends don't have kids and one of my colleagues didn't get married until he was 49. At the heart of it, I think social expectations with regard to marriage and children are changing due to a host of factors - not the least of which is that it's much more a social norm now not to have children, but also more people are getting more education, changing careers, etc. When my parents were young people actually didn't leave their hometown quite often, for e.g. Now it's all but required.