Cohen on the decline of fertility rates
Elly Yu writing for the American University Radio (WAMU) reports about the recent report released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) showing the total fertility rate by state in the U.S. for 2017. The District of Columbia ranks at the absolute bottom of the measures of number of children women are expected to have in their lifetimes. Currently, the birth rate indicated an average of 2.1 children per mother, but in D.C. the average is approximately 1.4 children. Only South Dakota and Utah showed rates of 2.1 or above.
Faculty Associate Philip Cohen commented, “It’s very low because the white fertility rate is very low. . . . D.C. black and Hispanic women have birth rates that are very close to their national averages, so it’s really that white number that’s driving down the total.” The total fertility rate in D.C. has been broken down by race; black women show an average of 1.8 while Hispanic women show an average of 1.95 children. “I think one of the reasons why fertility has fallen overall in the U.S. is because of our weak work-family policies and policies especially supporting families,” Cohen concluded.