Fertility Rates: Are We Running Out of Babies??

Science Vs

Spotify Studios

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 11.7K Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Birth rates are falling all over the world, and some people are freaking out, saying this could tank our society — and even spell the end of humans. In the U.S., so-called pronatalism is having a major moment, with lots of people making the case for more babies — President Trump has called for a “baby boom” and has pledged to be “the fertilization president.” So today, we’re going to find out: Is humanity really hurtling toward population disaster? And if this IS a problem — is it even possible to flip the switch from baby bust to baby boom? To find out, we speak with economists Prof. Jisoo Hwang and economics lecturer Dr. Neha Deopa. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsFertilityRates In this episode, we cover: (00:00) People are freaking out about the birth rate (02:51) Are fertility rates really declining? (07:42) Why South Korea’s fertility rate is so low (14:51) How low fertility rates can mess up society (20:24) Can influencers bump up fertility rates?? (28:17) Which government policies could bump up fertility rates? (35:43) What SHOULD we do if we want people to have more babies? This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell, with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Research help from Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. A very special thanks to all the researchers who spoke to me for this episode, including Professor Rannveig Kaldager Hart, Dr. Janna Bergsvik, Professor Amy Tsui, Dr. Gretchen Donehower, Dr. Emily Klancher Merchant and Professor Landon Schnabel. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, I'm Blythe Terrell, filling in for Wendy Zuckerman, and you are listening to Science Verses.
0:06.8	This is the show that pits facts against falling fertility.
0:14.8	Today, we're talking about the claim that people are having fewer and fewer babies, and that it could be bad news for humanity.
0:22.3	We've actually been hearing about this fear for years, but recently it has made its way to
0:26.7	the White House.
0:28.8	President Donald Trump is pushing for a baby boom.
0:32.3	We want more babies to put it very nicely.
0:35.7	I'll be known as the fertilizationilization President that that's okay.
0:38.3	That's not bad.
0:40.3	I've been called much worse.
0:42.3	Vice President J.D. Vance has gone in on this too.
0:45.3	So let me say very simply, I want more babies in the United States of America.
0:51.3	And it's not just the U.S.
0:53.3	This idea that people need to have more babies has been popping up all over the world,
0:58.0	with headlines about low birth rates in parts of Europe.
1:00.0	Italy is suffering through one of the worst demographic crises anywhere in the world.
1:05.0	Spain's population is disappearing.
1:08.0	Plus Japan and South Korea.
1:10.0	The Korean population crisis has reached a new milestone.
1:15.0	The nation's population could free fall by 85% over the next century.
1:20.5	China, which famously had a policy limiting couples to one child only, has done a 180.
1:26.1	For the first time, Beijing has announced a nationwide child care subsidy policy in a bit to boost the country's birth rate.
	...

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