On December 10, 2025, the Population Association of America (PAA) and the Association of Population Centers (APC) hosted a congressional briefing, “U.S. Birth Rate Trends: Patterns, Drivers, and Implications for U.S. Families.” The in-person event drew interest from almost 100 registrants representing the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, National Institutes of Health, Government Accountability Office, National Academies of Science, Congressional Research Service, a range of scientific and health stakeholder organizations, and the media.
The event was moderated by Dr. Jennifer Sciubba, President and CEO of the Population Reference Bureau, and featured presentations by Dr. Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Director of the Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Dr. Melissa Kearney, Gilbert F. Schaefer Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame. The briefing focus was particularly timely given the Trump Administration’s interest in encouraging higher birth rates nationwide.
Dr. Guzzo’s presentation focused on recent U.S. birth rate trends, clarifying key terms such as the total fertility rate and replacement rate. She also shared recent research regarding the conditional factors that influence an individual’s decision to start a family. Dr. Kearney’s presentation put U.S. fertility rates in the context of international trends. She also explained how policy incentives have influenced these trends and addressed the economic implications of birth rate fluctuations.
The audience asked a wide range of questions. Their interests touched on topics such as childcare, immigration, and assisted reproductive technology.
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For more information, please contact Mary Jo Mitchell, Director, Government Affairs, Population Association of America/Association of Population Centers at maryjo@popassoc.org.
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