Birth rates are plummeting worldwide - but it's not because people don't want kids anymore

Two in five people over 50 say they have not had as many children as they wanted - with economic issues, health concerns and fears about the state of the world among the main barriers.

More than half said financial factors such as affordable housing, childcare options and job security were things that had limited, or would limit, their ability to grow their families. One in four said health issues were holding them back, while a fifth of respondents mentioned fears about global issues including climate change, wars and pandemics.

The findings come from a new survey of over 14,000 people by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - spanning 14 countries on five continents that are home to a third of the world's population. Birth rates have been declining across almost all regions of the world, while life expectancy continues to grow.

There are concerns, from politicians and commentators like Elon Musk, that future generations of working age people will find it more difficult to economically support people of pension age as the ratio of workers to pensioners shifts. "Vast numbers of people are unable to create the families they want," said Dr Natalia Kanem, executive director of the UNFPA.

"The issue is lack of choice, not desire, with major consequences for individuals and societies. That is the real fertility crisis, and the answer lies in responding to what people say they need: paid family leave, affordable fertility care, and supportive partners." Differences around the world The survey was carried out in four European countries, four in Asia, three across Africa and three from the Americas.

The countries were picked to try and represent "a wide variety of countries with different cultural contexts, fertility rates and policy approaches.