“The overall birth rate for 15- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. declined 71% between 2000 and 2022. The total population of teenage girls in the U.S. increased 7% during the same time.
Additionally, there was an 80% decline in the rate of teens with one or more births after their first child.
Research shows that having a second child as a teenager makes it even harder for parents to finish school, and can increase the risk of poverty and adverse outcomes for children.”
From Axios.
“Wedged between South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil, Paraguay has long been ignored by the international community. Small, landlocked and poor, it was often seen as just a fly-over country.
So it’s a little surprising — to both those in the capital and in the region — that the country of 6.1 million people is suddenly having a moment…
Though roughly the size of California, Paraguay’s $47 billion economy is about 1% of the Golden State’s. But rapid growth and economic reforms in recent years helped the country win investment-grade credit status from Moody’s Ratings in 2024 and from S&P Global last year…
Last century, it was run as a dictatorship for 35 years — one of the longest in the region, whose fall in 1989 was followed by a tumultuous transition to democracy. But Paraguay’s embrace of sound fiscal and monetary policies after its 2003 financial crisis is now paying off, with single-digit inflation and annual growth averaging around 4% over the past two decades.”
From Bloomberg.
“Since 1990, the world has made remarkable progress: the under five mortality rate has fallen by about 60 per cent, and neonatal mortality by 45 per cent, saving millions of young lives. These gains reflect decades of investment in immunization, essential health services, newborn care, nutrition support and the integrated management of childhood illnesses.
However, this momentum is slowing. While mortality levels today are far lower than in past decades, the current rate of decline means that 27.3 million under five deaths are projected between 2025 and 2030 — nearly 13 million of which will occur in the neonatal period. These deaths remain concentrated in the same regions that continue to face the steepest barriers to quality health services: sub Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.”
From UNICEF.
“Maternal mortality in Oman has fallen by 53 per cent, down from 17 cases in 2019 to eight in 2025, which reflects a significant milestone in the Sultanate of Oman’s healthcare performance.”
From Oman Observer.
“A new study across 38 countries found that among adults aged 20-45 who work from home at least one day per week, actual births since 2023 and planned family size are higher. This implies that an increase in remote work would boost fertility much more effectively than expensive pronatalist policies.”
From Project Syndicate.
