Why the Recession Might Cause a Baby Boom

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I'm 36 and pregnant for the first time. Everywhere I look, I see pregnant women. Maybe it's just because I'm pregnant and suddenly noticing, but I swear we are everywhere right now!
My husband and I still have our jobs, so my pregnancy has nothing to do with more spare time, though.

ES of NM 7:19PM February 07, 2010

Fertility rates plummeted during the Great Depression as unemployment and poverty rates increased. They did not significantly increase again until after World War II when people felt more comfortable having children again. Contraceptives were practically unavailable for that generation of Americans suggesting the 30's as compared to today.
The only rational counterargument to this would be that there was no significant welfare state in the 30's and 40's and therefore many parents living in poverty were truly fearful of having children they could not afford to buy food for (my grandmother only had a can of tomato soup to eat in the three days before my father was born in 1938), let alone shelter. With Food Stamps, "free" Medicaid health coverage, an economic downturn may be less of a factor today.
Time will tell if the existence of government support programs for the unemployed and others displaced by this severe recession will change the behavior we saw in the 30's and 40's.

R. Bates of CA 9:09PM May 10, 2009

Recession seems to put people in the mood for condoms
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2009-02-11-cash-strapped-condoms_N.htm

Jeffry Pilcher | TheFinancialBrand.com of NV 4:04PM March 12, 2009

1- The earth has too many people as it is
2- Irrespective of the resource crunch and eco-crisis, having kids when your personal resources are at an all-time low is irresponsible- to yourself, to those around you with whom you pose an ethical dilemma (I don't want help for me, I want it it for my blameless hostage child), and to society at large.
There are too many people with kids, and not enough people who care about other people's kids. As a species, we are hardwired to think locally and care locally. This is unfortunate.
Kids are cute-- I like them, too. But too many grownups are just a more sophisticated version of Bristol Palin or Nadya Suleman.

j of NC 12:31PM March 12, 2009

With the recent statistics showing 5.3 million people out of work, their health insurance is also in jeopardy, which includes prescription birth control pills. Many people don't purchase birth control during harder economic times - not because they don't want to, but because it isn't that easy - Without insurance, they bear the cost themelves. But they must also see a doctor to keep that prescription renewed. This is all done out of pocket if they loose their health insurance benefits. Poverty stricken nations tend to have high birth numbers. A deep recession means more people are living at or below poverty level. It's not that they choose to have more children, it is more that they don't have the means/ability not to. With the general perception being what it is with the use of condoms, it wouldn't be surprising if there is a "baby boom" within the coming months.

M. Peavy of GA 12:12PM March 12, 2009

Need I say moore we are in a recession . I realy can't afford to take care of no one else's children. It's hard taking care of my own and then we have the nut case Nadya Suleman's 14.Find another job but no more kids please.

T Cullins of NC 7:32PM March 11, 2009