Recession Reduces Romance

US births fell for a 3rd straight year. Births peaked at 4.3 million in ’07 but by ’10 births were just 4 million. In ’08 and ’09 the only increase in births was for women over 40. The decline is tied to the economy. Women who are unemployed or who have other financial strains are reluctant to start a family or add to it. A drop in immigration is also partly to blame as Hispanics have higher birth rates.