Why the world doesn’t need more babies

FERTILITY rates are falling across the globe – even in places, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where they remain high. This is good for women, families, societies and the environment. So why do we keep hearing that the world needs babies, with angst in the media about maternity wards closing in Italy and ghost cities in China…?

This article first appeared in The Guardian on 8 July 2021. To continue reading, click here.