In a survey of 14,000 people, one in five respondents said they haven't had or expect they won't have the number of children they want.
A growing number of families around the world are choosing to have fewer children — not by preference, but by necessity. A new report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reveals an unprecedented global fertility decline, driven primarily by rising financial pressures and lack of time.
A Dilemma Faced by Modern Families
Take Namrata Nangia from Mumbai, for instance. She and her husband, both working professionals, are hesitant about having a second child. The costs associated with raising just one child already feel unmanageable — school fees, extracurriculars, healthcare, and daily commuting expenses.
"When I was young, we didn’t have swimming or drawing classes," says Namrata. “Now it feels like every child must excel at everything.”
Her story is becoming increasingly common, not just in India but across the globe.
Fertility Decline: A Global Pattern
UNFPA's latest report includes insights from 14,000 people across 14 countries — a mix of high-, middle-, and low-income nations. These include India, the US, South Korea, Germany, Brazil, and Nigeria, covering one-third of the global population.
A startling 20% of respondents revealed they either haven’t had or don’t expect to have the number of children they desire. This is despite most people still hoping to have at least two children.
Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, calls the situation a real crisis. “Fertility rates are falling because people feel unable to build the families they want,” she states. “That’s the real issue — not a lack of desire, but of feasibility.”
Financial Pressure: The Top Fertility Barrier
Across all countries, 39% of those surveyed pointed to financial constraints as a major reason for having fewer children. In South Korea, this figure soared to 58%, while Sweden reported the lowest at 19%.
Interestingly, only 12% blamed infertility or difficulty conceiving. However, some countries like Thailand (19%), the US (16%), and India (13%) reported above-average concern in this area.
Time Poverty and the Modern Parent
While money is a major factor, the lack of time emerged as an even bigger hurdle. Long working hours, daily commutes, and career pressures are leaving would-be parents with little bandwidth to grow their families.
Namrata's experience echoes this trend. She spends nearly three hours commuting daily and returns home drained — yet filled with guilt about not spending enough time with her daughter. “We’re just going to focus on one,” she concludes, a sentiment shared by many in similar situations.
Beyond the Numbers: A Shift in UN Perspective
Traditionally, UN efforts focused on reducing unintended pregnancies and meeting the demand for contraception. This report, however, marks a shift — highlighting the challenge of low fertility and undershooting reproductive goals.
Demographer Anna Rotkirch, who advises the Finnish government, notes that this is a significant global trend. “There’s more undershooting than overshooting of fertility ideals,” she observes, pointing out that even older adults regret not having more children — 31% of those over 50 said they had fewer than they wished.
Avoiding Panic-Driven Policies
Experts warn against alarmist reactions. “What we don’t want,” says Prof. Stuart Gietel-Basten of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, “is countries enacting panicked policies that restrict rights or fuel nationalism.”
Dr. Kanem echoes this caution. Forty years ago, countries like China and Thailand feared overpopulation. Today, they’re scrambling to boost fertility.
“We must avoid reactionary policies,” she urges. “Let’s focus instead on making parenthood affordable and manageable.”
The Real Fertility Crisis
The real global fertility crisis isn’t about people choosing smaller families out of personal preference — it’s that many simply can’t afford more children, either in terms of money or time. As governments prepare for broader studies across 50 countries, the message is clear: tackling fertility decline means addressing real-life barriers, not enforcing outdated population policies.
