Since 1950, global fertility rates have nearly halved, from almost five children per woman to 2.3. As a result, global population growth has slowed dramatically, and many countries’ populations are expected to drastically decline by the end of the century.
With lowered birth rates worldwide, the replacement level fertility rate of 2.1 is not being met. Historically, we do not have a metric for such a scenario. There is concern that having higher populations of elderly than young people would sabotage the sustainability of life.
Yet these statistics don’t factor in the reality that sexual intercourse is still happening and leads to unwanted and unplanned pregnancies. Guttmacher reports that 121 million unintended pregnancies occur each year worldwide and about 61% of those end in abortion. (Not letting me link this. Here is link https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-worldwide).
How Abortion and Anti-Family Culture Accelerate the Decline
About 73 million abortions take place annually around the world. Many of these abortions happen because women are pressured by their spouses/partners, family, and/or friends, or simply because they believe lies that de-value life. Some people choose not to have children. The Brookings Institute stated, “The cultural norms of young people regarding children becomes the most important determinant of population growth. In many places, populations are likely to continue to shrink and age.”
In an article published by the Christian Post earlier this year, Herbie Newell wrote: Policies alone cannot shift people’s attitudes toward having children, as the underlying issue is one of the heart. More and more people are choosing not to have children because of what they must sacrifice in order toparent. Children are increasingly viewed as ‘burdens,’ and individuals are unwilling to relinquish their personal preferences and freedoms to live out one of our most fundamental callings to be fruitful and multiply. We are living in an anti-family society that prioritizes fleshly desire and pleasure over responsibility and stewardship.
The Social and Economic Consequences of a Childless Future
A survey done by Ramsey Solutions showed 48% of parents in the U.S. provided money or financial support to their adult children in the past year, and 41% of Americans said they would rather “enjoy life now than save for the future.” Vacations, boats, cars, and living in more upscale neighborhoods is more important than having children for many modern adults.
Sailing toward a future with fewer children being born and raised has a negative impact on the culture, leading to the crumbling and eventual dying of family legacies.
“Without strong marriages and families as its foundation, society will continue to disintegrate,” Fr. Shenan J. Boquet commented in All Life League.
Lessons from Nations Already in Population Decline
The United States can learn valuable lessons from nations like Japan, China, and South Korea, which have all been experiencing population decline at drastic rates.
Japan’s Aging Crisis
Numerous countries and cultures respect elderly people, including Japan, which celebrates “Respect for the Aged Day.” However, that respect carries a burden: the number of people aged 65 and over has risen to more than 36 million, an all-time high. The increase in the number of elderly folks and the decrease in birth rates can, and has, affected the economy and society of the country, including a shortage of employees.
The government of Japan is aware of these issues. Some new policies to encourage childbearing and child rearing are taking shape, including expanding child allowances and reducing medical and higher education costs. According to the prime minister’s office, the Japanese government wants to “make it possible for the younger generation to choose to get married, have children, and raise children as they wish, without battling financial worries.” Additionally, supporting more childcare facilities to help working families is on the table.
China’s One-Child Policy
China implemented a One Child Policy in 1979 and ended that policy in 2016. Forced abortions and botched sterilizations prevailed, leaving women and families grief-stricken. Many women went into hiding to conceal their pregnancies and carry their babies to term amid that regime.
Today, China no longer has restrictions on how many children a woman may have. The far-reaching negative effects of the prolonged government policy include “ . . . a rapidly aging population, a shrinking labor force, and a persistently low birth rate that threatened economic growth,” according to a Stanford University publication. “Our country’s leaders did not want us to have children and I didn’t know why, but we could not do anything about it,” one Chinese man told NPR in 2021.
During the 30 years of China’s one-child policy, an estimated 20 million baby girls “disappeared” due to sex-selective abortions or infanticide, according to a story on CNN, producing a detrimental, lop-sided ratio of men to women.
Europe’s Population Freefall
Many European countries are also experiencing declines in population due to low birthrates and migration patterns. According to a document published in March 2025, the European Union (EU) is “a tale of three regions,” Western and Northern Europe, Southern Europe, and Eastern Europe. The combinations have caused a triple threat in some regions: low fertility, negative population momentum from an aged population structure, and significant emigration to Western Europe.”
What the US Can Learn from Global Trends
In 2024, the George W. Bush Institute considered the issue of lower birth rates and the increased elderly population in the US. Writer J. H. Cullum Clark stated in an article for The Catalyst, “The U.S. population will soon grow older, smaller, and more diverse. The changes will impact almost every aspect of American power, society, and the economy.”
The role of governments—federal, state, and community—is important, Clark asserts, but so is that of businesses and individuals. He writes, “The United States must rethink its policies on innovation, infrastructure, health care, taxes, trade, immigration, and more. As countries around the world face similar trends, those that rechart their course the most successfully will prevail. Those that don’t— perhaps including the United States— will experience painful decline.”
What a Low-Birth Culture Reveals Socially and Spiritually
Communities have historically fostered more interpersonal involvement than in today’s world. Decreased interactions among neighbors, low church attendance, and a decline in volunteerism create distrust and loneliness, isolationand apathy. These are not characteristics of a faith-filled Christian. Our culture promotes self-centeredness, which results in de-valuing others, including the preborn.
The Biblical View of Children and Legacy
All people are precious to God. Therefore, they should be precious to us. However, particularly in the Old Testament, there are references to child sacrifices to foreign gods like Baal and Molech,. Even some Jews participated in these practices, though it was forbidden. Prophets like Ezekiel and Jeremiah condemned those who took part in such acts.
The Old Testament Scriptures indicate that children are blessings from God (Psalm 127, Proverbs 17:6). Children are viewed as a legacy, as future worshippers, as servants, and as bearers of God’s truth (Psalm 8:2, Deuteronomy 6:7).
“Culture of Death” vs. “Culture of Life”
Even though the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 and many states implemented stricter abortion laws, including what’s become known as “Heartbeat Laws,” abortion rates have continued to climb.
The Guttmacher Institute reported nearly 1.127 million abortions were conducted in the United States in 2024, up from 1.061 million the previous year. Many of these were committed with abortion pills ordered through the mail after only a telehealth appointment. Other countries, including Ireland and England, have also seen increases in the number of abortions during recent years.
Although difficult to track exact numbers, many women claim they were pressured to abort their pregnancies. In 2023, researcher David Reardon released a report via the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) which indicated “close to 70% of the women who had abortions described them as coerced, pressured, or inconsistent with their own values and preferences.”
The prevalence of abortion pills via telehealth, the internet, and mail not only can increase these pressures, but can also result in cases of women unknowingly ingesting abortion pills in food or drink. Several recent cases of such happenings have made the news, including two cases in Texas. One involved a married man and his pregnant girlfriend, and the other, a husband and his pregnant wife. There was also a case in England in which a man spiked a woman’s drink and administered abortion pills to her.
When women do choose to abort, the top three reasons for making that choice are finances, timing, and partner-related concerns, including lack of commitment and abusive relationships. Another common reason is the need to focus on other children.
When humans lose sight of their value, that God made humankind in His image, they also lose their sense of God, reverence and wonder, and compassion for other humans. Devaluing people has led society to embrace euthanasia and abortion and to forsake marriage, family, and children.
The Pro-Life Movement’s Role in Supporting Families
Pro-life organizations take on the difficult circumstances that often plague families experiencing crisis pregnancies. For example, pregnancy resource centers and medical clinics offer free medical care and resources for obtaining insurance as well as programs to help young women and men learn to become good parents, eradicating the fears of not being ready to parent and not having enough money to afford a child. Many pregnancy resource centers now provide prenatal care, free ultrasounds, and STD testing. Additionally, the number of maternity homes has grown significantly during the past few years, helping to alleviate housing concerns for moms-to-be. Many of these homes allow women to stay until their child is two or three years old. Educational and employment opportunities and resources are also provided by pregnancy help organizations (PHOs), helping women overcome financial obstacles.
Providing services and programs supports mothers- and fathers-to-be, equipping them with the skills and confidence they need to thrive. By meeting their needs with care and compassion, pro-life organizations can offer meaningful alternatives to abortion.
Pregnancy Clinics Strengthen Families
Teen birth rates have fluctuated over the years for various reasons and are currently in decline. While teens do have abortions, the statistics show that fewer are getting pregnant and that the proportion of preborn babies lost to abortion among teens has decreased to about 5% of pregnancies.
While the pregnancy statistics for teenagers are hopeful, women in their 20s and 30s continue to become pregnant and receive abortions at alarming rates. 13% to 18% of pregnancies end in abortion for women aged 20-34.
To combat the abortion atrocity, pro-life pregnancy resource and medical clinics are found around the world. Heartbeat International alone works with nearly 4,000 of these centers and clinics around the world; there are hundreds of PreBorn! Network Clinics in the U.S., and there are more than 1,200 CareNet affiliates in America as well. These pro-life clinics offering physical resources, education, medical care, and connections to community services give women and families with preborn babies the hope and help they need.
The Life-Saving Impact of Ultrasound and Support
PreBorn! Network Clinics and many other pregnancy medical clinics provide free ultrasounds for clients, helping mothers connect with their preborn babies on a deeper level. Statistics show that 75-80% of abortion-minded women who view an ultrasound of their preborn child choose life. Even more choose life when they also hear their baby’s beating heart.
PreBorn! places ultrasound machines in its network of Clinics, including those in high abortion cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
Women who once believed abortion was their only option are more likely to choose life when they realize they have support throughout their pregnancy journey. Pro-life pregnancy centers and medical clinics provide programs and resources that build confidence and ease fears. Pre-natal classes, available for women, men, and couples, offer a strong foundation for navigating pregnancy. Additionally, providing opportunities to explore adoption helps both women and men better understand their options, empowering them to choose life for their preborn children.
Hearing the gospel at a PreBorn! Network Clinic also re-enforces the fact they are not alone and helps them gain a footing on the strong foundation of a relationship with Christ.
Restoring Hope and Vision to Mothers in Crisis
PRCs help restore hope and vision to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Coming alongside these mothers, and their partners who are willing to participate, strengthens the family unit and empowers women to choose life for their babies. Women discover they can attend college and be pregnant at the same time. They learn they don’t have to give up pursuing a career to be a mom. Fathers learn how to be the best dads possible as well as the best partner to the mothers of their children. At PreBorn! Network Clinics, mothers and fathers are introduced or re-introduced to Jesus, the giver and restorer of life.
Pro-life pregnancy centers positively impact families who are willing to embrace parenthood, even if the situation isn’t ideal. Studies show that children greatly benefit from both parents being involved in their lives, and with renewed hope and vision, mothers and fathers can embrace life and speak life into their children.
