Panic as US birth rates drop to lowest in a century...as top researcher declares fertility crisis a 'fire that threatens our survival'

Experts have warned of a 'smoldering fire that threatens our survival' after fertility rates dropped to their lowest level in a century, and since records began.

Latest data from the CDC released yesterday showed just shy of 3.6million children were born in the US last year, down two percent from the previous year.

This takes the fertility rate down to 1.62 births per woman in 2023 — the lowest since the government began recording the metric in the 1930s, when it was 2.1 births.

The drop is sparking alarm because of the shrinking workforce and taxpayer pool — which threatens to throw many communities into jeopardy. 

Social Security — which pays pensions — is already expected to run out of money in only ten years, while a key trust fund for Medicare may be emptied by 2031.

Dr Jay Richards warned that this was a 'smoldering crisis'. And Elon Musk, pictured above in an AI-rendered image, has repeatedly warned over the risks of depopulation

There are also warnings the shift will force a complete reorganization of society, as more of the population is older and unable to work.

One well-known figure who has predicted chaos related to low birth rates is businessman and X CEO Elon Musk, who has previously remarked that dwindling fertility rates are a bigger threat to humans than climate change.

Rise of the mature mom REVEALED 

A record number of women in their 40s are having children, official data shows — as the birth rate continues to drop off in younger age groups. 

Following the release of the latest figures, Dr Jay Richards, a research fellow at the DC-based Heritage Foundation, took to X to comment: 'This is not yet a burning political issue at the moment.

'But it is a smoldering fire that threatens the future survival of our culture.'

Dr Natalia Bhattacharjee, a population researcher at the University of Washington, added last month: 'The implications are immense.

'These future trends in fertility rates and live births will completely reconfigure the global economy and the international balance of power and will necessitate reorganising societies.'

A report published last month also warned of the risks, saying that middle and high-income nations faced significant economic challenges as they grappled with a shrinking workforce.

The latest data was released by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and based on an analysis of more than 99 percent of all births in 2023. But the figures are provisional, with more data expected in the coming months.

The fertility rate for 2023 was down two percent on the nearly 1.7 births per woman over the year before.

It also marked the 15th year in a row that the US birth rate has been below the replacement rate — or rate needed to keep the population at the same level — which is 2.1 births per woman.

The record was set in 1957 when every woman was having 3.7 children on average, according to official figures.

On the birth rate, it revealed that these had dipped most among mothers in their 20s and 30s.

For those aged 25 to 29, the figure had fallen below one million per year.

There were also a record number of births among those over the age of 40 years, with 136,100 recorded among those aged 40 to 44 — up two percent in a year.

Experts say fewer people are having children because America's younger generations are prioritizing careers, traveling and their social lives over having babies.

There is also a surge in births among women over 40 years old

Others have also raised concerns over the rising cost of living and student debt, which they say leave many feeling financially unable to start a family.

A rise in births among older adults has been attributed to a wider availability of IVF and egg freezing technologies.

Dr Brady Hamilton, a statistician with the NCHS and lead author of the new report, told CNN: 'Decline fits the general pattern [for births].

'The highest rates have, over time, been shifting towards women in their 30s whereas before it used to be women in their 20s.

'One factor, of course, is the option to wait.

'We had a pandemic, or there's an economic downturn, let's say — women in their 20s can postpone having a birth until things improve and they feel more comfortable.

'For older women, the option of waiting is not as viable.' 

There have also been concerns that the Joe v Wade decision may impact US births because of concerns over accessing care. 

The current strategy in middle and high-income countries is to paper over the cracks caused by shrinking populations through migration policies.

Plans such as longer maternity leave, higher pay and tax breaks for those with children will likely only prompt a small increase in the birth rate, experts say.