Argentina birth rate crisis: Many have fewer children than they want

Despite declining birth rates, a significant portion of Argentinians still aspire to have more children than they currently do. A recent survey by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Argentina, in collaboration with Voices!, found that 57% of people aged 18 to 45 have not yet reached the number of children they would ideally want if there were no limitations.

The report, titled "Reproductive Desires at a Crossroads. Motivations and barriers to deciding in a context of low birth rates," challenges the notion that people no longer want children. Instead, it suggests that many individuals are unable to create the necessary conditions to realize their reproductive goals. This gap between desired and actual fertility is particularly pronounced among younger individuals (18-24 years old), where seven out of ten have not yet reached their desired number of children. However, the gap persists significantly for those aged 25-34 and 35-45.

Researchers point out that the latter age groups often coincide with critical life decisions related to career establishment, economic stability, housing, forming partnerships, and organizing caregiving responsibilities. The study emphasizes that the unfulfilled desired fertility should be seen as an indicator of potential restrictions on reproductive projects, not solely as a characteristic of younger age groups.

While 32% of respondents have achieved their ideal family size, 11% have had more children than they intended. This "reproductive excess" is more common among older individuals and is linked to socioeconomic inequality, particularly among those who did not complete secondary education. The survey also highlighted gender differences, noting that young women express a greater distance from traditional motherhood mandates.