AUDIO

Dr. Gregory on Fertility Rates and Pro-Natalism on Houston Matters

Abstract

Why are Americans having fewer babies—and what does it really cost to raise a child today?

Professor Elizabeth Gregory, Director of the Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality (IRWGS) at the University of Houston, joined Houston Matters' Craig Cohen and public finance expert Joyce Beebe (Baker Institute) to explore the cultural and economic realities behind the nation’s declining birth rate.

The discussion touched on:

• The “tempo effect” and how teen birth rates have dropped 70% since 2007.
• Why a $5,000 government incentive won’t move the needle on fertility. The true cost (financial and emotional) of raising a child in cities like Houston.
• Why de-gendering care work matters for our future workforce. 

What do you think would make parenting more feasible in the U.S. today?

Why should care work be everyone’s work?

As the U.S. grapples with a shrinking birth rate and aging population, solutions must move beyond nostalgia and old gender expectations.

Dr. Gregory laid it out clearly:

If we tell women to leave the workforce to boost births to staff the future workforce, we’re halving the workforce of the present (and the future too!)

Instead, she calls for a bold rethinking of care infrastructure—one that supports all parents as they combine work and caregiving.

Key insights:

De-gendering care work enables full workforce participation. 
A universal childcare model would reflect the true value of family care.
Young families need support, not a return to outdated roles. 

Listen to the full discussion about what a fair family policy could look like for our moment.