WASHINGTON: The rapid rise of smartphones may be contributing to falling birth rates around the world, according to two new studies that examined fertility trends in the United States and dozens of other countries.
Research by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the U.S. birth rate has declined by 22% since 2007, the same year the first Apple iPhone was introduced.
For years, experts largely attributed the decline in births to the 2008 global financial crisis, which left millions facing economic hardship. However, birth rates failed to return to previous levels even after economic conditions improved.
Researchers noted that several factors have contributed to the trend, including greater use of contraception, higher levels of female education and rising housing and childcare costs.
The study sought to determine whether the widespread adoption of smartphones after 2007 also played a role in the decline.
Until 2011, iPhones were available through only one U.S. mobile network, creating regional differences in smartphone access. The researchers found that areas with earlier access to the devices experienced a 4.5% to 8% decline in birth rates among women aged 15 to 24, while the impact on women older than 24 was more limited.
The researchers cautioned that smartphones alone cannot explain the decline in fertility. However, they suggested that increased smartphone use may have reduced face-to-face social interaction, potentially affecting relationship formation and family planning decisions.
A separate study by University of Cincinnati identified a similar pattern on a global scale.
The researchers analyzed smartphone adoption rates and youth fertility trends across 128 countries and found that birth rates tended to fall more rapidly after smartphones became widely available.
They described the phenomenon as a “common global technology shock” affecting both developed and developing nations.
The studies noted that declining birth rates have contributed to aging populations, shrinking workforces and growing pressure on social security systems in many countries around the world.
