Advances in healthcare and sanitation have enabled individuals to enjoy longer lifespans. As our population ages, we’re struggling to find enough young people to support us in our golden years. Fertility charges are falling in
However wait! Scientists have developed innovative solutions to overcome this challenge. In vitro fertilization (IVF) has made it possible to bring more children into the world than ever before, potentially helping to offset fertility challenges faced by older parents. Unfortunately, problems are rarely straightforward. While analysis may have taken us thus far, it is clear that it cannot alone guide our journey into the future. To achieve meaningful advancements, it’s essential that we also focus on promoting gender equality.
Scientists typically examine fertility rates regarding the average number of children a woman bears throughout her reproductive years. To ensure a stable and secure population, the total fertility rate (TFR) should ideally hover around 2.1.
In Europe, the total fertility rate (TFR) of girls born in 1939 stood at 2.3, whereas for those born in 1981—the cohort now aged 42-43—this figure has decreased to 1.7. A decline in fertility rates has been characterised by demography expert Gianpiero Dalla Zuanna from the University of Padua, Italy, who condensed the last half-century into three succinct phrases: “declining”, “late”, and “childlessness” during a recent lecture.
The decline’s multifaceted origins are complex and varied. Across the globe, a growing concern exists: people are having fewer children than they desire. Increasingly, individuals are opting for a life without children. Many individuals are hesitant to start a family due in part to the looming issue of rising housing costs, which has made it increasingly difficult for them to save up and purchase their own homes. Many people are hesitant to start a family due to concerns about their financial future. As the threat of global conflicts persists, it’s little wonder that people are increasingly apprehensive.
Fewer young people are now willing to support a broader range of senior citizens. And it’s not sustainable.
“Europe currently accounts for just 10% of the global population, yet holds a significant 20% share of the world’s GDP, and an astonishing 50% of international welfare expenditures,” said Dalla Zuanna during his address. By 2042, a predicted 20-per-cent decline in the number of people of childbearing age is anticipated, according to his cautionary forecast.
