A new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has raised the alarm over a growing global fertility crisis, revealing that millions of people worldwide are unable to have the number of children they desire.
The agency attributes the trend to economic pressures, lack of time, and challenges in finding a suitable partner.
UNFPA, the UN agency for reproductive rights, surveyed 14,000 people across 14 countries—including the US, India, Nigeria, South Korea, Brazil, and Germany—which collectively represent a third of the global population.
The study spanned low, middle, and high-income nations and included both young adults and older respondents beyond reproductive age.
The findings are stark: one in five respondents said they had not had—or do not expect to have—the number of children they want.
Nearly 40% of participants cited financial barriers as the primary reason for limiting their families, with this sentiment strongest in South Korea (58%) and lowest in Sweden (19%).
“This is the first time the UN has gone all-in on the issue of low fertility,” said Professor Stuart Gietel-Basten, a demographer at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
He noted a significant shift in focus, as the agency has traditionally centered on reducing unplanned pregnancies and improving access to contraception.
Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, called the situation “a real crisis,” noting that while most people want two or more children, many feel they simply can’t afford or manage larger families.
“The world has begun an unprecedented decline in fertility rates,” she said.
“This isn’t about choice—it’s about constraints.”Demographer Anna Rotkirch, who advises the Finnish government on population policy, found the survey’s results reflective of long-standing trends in Europe.
“Overall, there’s more undershooting than overshooting of fertility ideals,” she observed.
She also highlighted a striking figure: 31% of respondents over age 50 reported having fewer children than they had hoped for.
Though still in pilot phase, the UNFPA survey is set to expand to 50 countries later this year.
Despite some limitations in sampling across age groups, several patterns are already emerging.
Notably, only 12% of respondents cited infertility as the reason for not achieving their desired family size. However, that number was higher in countries such as Thailand (19%), the US (16%), and India (13%).
Beyond financial limitations, time scarcity emerged as an even greater obstacle.
UNFPA is urging governments to avoid reactive or coercive population policies. “We’re seeing population decline being used to justify anti-migrant, nationalist, or gender-conservative policies,” warned Dr. Kanem.
She emphasized the importance of creating conditions where people can freely choose the families they want—without fear, pressure, or financial burden.
Professor Gietel-Basten echoed the call for measured responses: “We want to avoid panic-driven policies. Many of these countries were worried about overpopulation just 40 years ago.
Now they’re shifting gears. That tells us to tread carefully.
BBC