The Trump administration is reportedly looking for ways to reverse the decline in US fertility rates by providing incentives to large families, and could include a $5,000 “baby bonus” for new mothers.
It said US President Donald Trump is trying to deal with the country's falling fertility rate, according to a report released Monday by the New York Times. It comes after he recently named the “Fertilized President.”
One idea being considered at the White House involves putting aside a scholarship for married applicants or parents, The Times reported. According to the article, another person will pay a new mother a baby bonus, and a third will fund menstrual education to help them better track fertility.
Trump supported the idea Tuesday when reporters asked about a report on the White House plan to give parents a bonus to have children.
“It sounds like a good idea to me,” Trump said.
How low is the birth rate in the US?
The US fertility rate has been steadily declining for decades.
In 1990, the average American woman had around 2.1 children. This is the level necessary to stabilize the population. By 2023, that number had fallen to 1.62, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This trend is not limited to the US. Countries such as South Korea, Italy, Japan, Spain, France and Canada are facing a sharp decline in fertility rates.
In 2023, Canada's birth rate fell to a historical low of 1.26 children per woman, solidifying its position as one of the “lowest” birth countries in the world, according to Statistics Canada.
“It's a global challenge. Even high reproductive places are falling,” explained Arthur Kaplan, director of the medical ethics department at NYU Grossmann School of Medicine in New York City.
“And it seems a lot of places are thinking right now.
How is the country trying to tackle low births?
Research shows that fertility rates have declined worldwide for multiple reasons, including women who delay childbirth in order to pursue education and careers, higher costs of parenting, greater access to birth control, greater access to family planning, and changes in family-wide social norms.
Caplan claims that the low birth rates also stem in part from future prospects. Concerns about economic, cultural instability, food security and climate change all play a role.
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In response to declining birth rates, some countries are beginning to become creative to encourage more babies.
For example, Tokyo is in the process of rolling out a four-day working week to improve work-life balance and tackle Japan's record fertility.
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Hong Kong has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, offering parents a newborn bonus of HK$20,000 (previous CAD 3,580) along with monthly child allowances.
In 2019, Hungary introduced a loan of around 30,000 euros to newlyweds. If they have three children, the loan is allowed.
And now the US may be considering similar cash incentives.
However, Kaplan warns that these incentives could carry darker overtones. He argues that reducing fertility as a crisis worth revising with cash often reveals deeper uncertainties about race and ethnicity, not just population size.
“If you really care about the baby,” he points out.
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A 2023 Global Health and Medicine study argued that policies that strengthen family life, such as paid parental leave, quality childcare and flexible work arrangements, can help increase birth rates by making it easier to work and juggle children.
In contrast, the study argued that one-off “baby bonuses” or small amounts of cash transfers only cause shorter increases.
As they barely cover the real costs of parenting, these payments tend to change the timing of birth rather than increase the total number of children couples have, researchers said.
“This idea of a baby bonus gives someone $5,000, and it's ridiculous. The behavior doesn't change at all,” Kaplan said. “And because many countries have tried it, Taiwan, Italy, Japan – it's not working.
He points out that raising children can be very expensive, according to Statistics Canada. According to Statistics Canada, a 2023 report shows that in the United States it costs around $237,482 from birth to age 18.
“This baby boom idea made them not mention affordable daycare, job flexibility, work from home, parental leave or better pay,” he said.
Childbirth subsidies are not new. Many developed countries already offer perks like extensions of parental leave. Canada offers access to up to 18 months of paid leave and subsidized daycare, while Sweden and Norway also boast generous leave programs.
However, despite these support, birth rates continue to decline.
Caplan claims this is not surprising. There is no solution.
“If you really want to increase your fertility,” he says.
“But even so, past birth decisions have been shaped in times of agriculture, large families and higher child mortality, a condition that no longer applies.