Overview
- The Trump administration is reviewing pronatalist measures, including a $5,000 baby bonus, scholarship preferences for parents, and a 'National Medal of Motherhood' for women with six or more children.
- U.S. birth rates have fallen below replacement levels for nearly two decades, with the average woman having 1.62 children as of 2023.
- Critics, including the House Democratic Women’s Caucus, argue that cash bonuses are insufficient and call for investments in paid family leave, affordable childcare, and expanded child tax credits.
- Research highlights the 'motherhood penalty,' where childbearing significantly reduces women’s earnings and career progression, contributing to the gender pay gap.
- International examples suggest financial incentives alone have largely failed to reverse declining birth rates, with systemic barriers playing a larger role in delayed or foregone parenthood.