Graphic detail | Fertility trends

American-born women had more babies during the pandemic

College-educated women saw the biggest increase, reversing years of decline

Birth rates often fall during hard times, but the covid-19 pandemic was no ordinary economic downturn. On the one hand, people might hesitate to procreate amid such upheaval; on the other, the opportunity to work from home could make parenting more enticing. During the dark days of lockdowns, no one knew which of these effects would be greater.

This article appeared in the Graphic detail section of the print edition under the headline “The covid baby bump”

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