Pace of baby-making could hold clues to economy, presidential race

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Forget the polls. The gauge of success in this year's presidential election could come down to another indicator -- how many Americans are making babies.
While the pundits pore over the latest approval ratings and economic outlooks to test the mood of the nation, this often-overlooked measure of consumer confidence speaks volumes.

The fertility rate has long been linked by economists to the health of the economy. It's unclear what that rate will be come election day -- but right now, projections show confidence is down in an historic way. If the trend holds, it's another sign that President Obama will have to counter a pessimistic mood to win a second term.

"The economy is really affecting the fertility decisions for some people," said Dr. Samuel Sturgeon, president of the fertility forecasting firm Demographic Intelligence.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/28/pace-baby-making-could-hold-clues-to-economy-presidential-race/#ixzz21vpPt56b

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Just an add on....

Why Americans Aren’t Having Babies—and How It Hurts Us

Americans aren’t having babies, and the economy’s to blame.

After all, who has enough cash to save up for food, clothing, college for another human being? Due to the recent recession, the fertility rate has fallen to its lowest point in 25 years.

The fertility rate is measured as the average number of children per woman, and right now the American rate is down to 1.87 children per woman. This number represents a sharp decrease of 12% since 2007.

Kids are expensive (obviously), so when the economy is shaky, it makes sense for individuals to reevaluate whether they can really afford to have their first child, or add a second child to their family. But while this thinking is prudent on a personal finance level, this trend is potentially dangerous for the economy as a whole.

We’ll break down what lower fertility could mean for the economy … and how this trend could potentially improve motherhood in the United States.


Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/08/03/why-americans-arent-having-babiesand-how-it-hurts-us/#ixzz23IYDJ7Xa