The fertility rate measures the number of births occurring per *** women between the ages of 15 and 44 in a particular year; birth rates refer to this measure within particular age groups.Tracking trends in fertility and birth rates is essential in planning for the current and future needs of multiple generations.Sustained high fertility rates lead to disproportionately large populations of young dependents, driving demand for supports for young families, for an adequate number of schools, and for affordable child care.For example, during the baby boom period (births from *** *** unanticipated high fertility rates caught communities unprepared, and without the school facilities needed to accommodate rapidly increasing numbers of school-age children.On the other hand, sustained low fertility rates can lead to an aging population and, in the long run, may place burdens on the economy and social services, because the pool of younger workers responsible for supporting the elderly accounts for a relatively smaller share of the population.
Tracking age-specific and race/ethnicity-specific trends in fertility and birth rates also provides information on the divergent needs of different population groups.For example, high teen birth rates among Hispanics in recent years alerted groups working in adolescent pregnancy prevention to anticipate the particular needs of this population.At the other end of the spectrum, increasing fertility among older mothers may be related to an increase in the incidence of Down syndrome.
