Most people have a much greater intrinsic love of children once they are here, than they do when they are just a possibility. Before the pill came into existence, the female sex drive assured the move from possibility to actuality happened often enough.

I'd focus much more on the pill than on abortion as the change that has made the big difference here. Much bigger impact on birthrate, I think.

Income security ought to be good for birthrate, I agree. (Or bad, depending on one's attitude towards birthrate. There are those who like the idea of population decrease, don't forget.)

After reading this thread, particularly the part about reproduction, I thought I'd offer a few random thoughts from a female point of view.

Someone noted earlier that women are waiting until they are older to have children. I think that was true years ago when there were no laws to protect a woman's job during pregnancy. I don't think it is so true anymore.

There was discussion regarding incentives for not getting pregnant (to keep population down) as opposed to penalties. I don't think incentives or penalties will have much impact in the majority of the population. Just my opinion....

We are brainstorming without a lot of data here. Women's average age at first childbirth ought to be something on which data is available....

Here's the first thing that comes up on Google:

Average Age Of First-Time Moms Keeps Climbing In The U.S.

It's hard to argue that the thing they say is driving the number is a bad thing:

At least in Finland abortions are legal and free and none of the garbage from extremists trying to control women.


Carl

Finland does shit right.

The US should emulate them.

And you believe that Trump will even come close to that?

I've heard that good chess players are always thinking five moves ahead.

That's what I am doing.

That's a dodge. You know that you are supporting a politician that will try to move us as far away from the Finland model as he possibly can.

Cue up the 'We gotta break some eggs to get "Our Revolushun" off the blocks and up a running' rationale from Joad.

Ha!
You nailed it......