The number of births in a population can increase due to a combination of social, economic, cultural, and policy factors:
- Economic incentives and family-friendly policies: Financial benefits such as tax breaks, subsidized childcare, government grants, paid parental leave, and flexible work arrangements reduce the cost and burden of child-rearing, encouraging families to have more children
- Improved healthcare and reduced infant mortality: Better prenatal and maternal healthcare increases the likelihood of successful pregnancies and child survival, which can raise birth rates
- Cultural and social attitudes: Strong religiosity, social pressure from family and community, valuing marriage and cohabitation, and norms favoring larger families contribute to higher fertility
- Maternal and social support: Support from extended family and social networks provides a "safety net" that encourages childbearing, especially in contexts of partnership instability
- Rural residence: Fertility rates tend to be higher in rural areas due to social norms and lower opportunity costs of child-rearing compared to urban settings
- Immigration: Immigrant populations often have higher fertility rates than native-born populations, which can increase overall birth numbers
- Population age structure: A larger proportion of people in younger adult age groups leads to more births even if individual fertility rates are stable, a phenomenon known as population momentum
- Government policies: Pro-family programs aimed at reducing the opportunity cost of children, like subsidized childcare and parental leave, have shown some positive effects, although their impact can be limited and vary by country
In contrast, factors like higher income, education, female labor participation, urbanization, and access to contraception tend to lower birth rates
. However, combinations of supportive policies and cultural factors can drive an increase in births within a population.
