Editing Birth rate (section)

== In politics ==

[[File:Familiy Planning Ethiopia (bad effects).jpg|thumbnail|Placard showing negative effects of lack of family planning and having too many [[child]]ren and [[infant]]s ([[Ethiopia]])]]
The birth rate is an issue of concern and policy for national governments. Some (including those of [[Italy]] and [[Malaysia]]) seek to increase the birth rate with financial incentives or provision of support services to new mothers. Conversely, other countries have policies to reduce the birth rate (for example, China's [[one-child policy]] which was in effect from 1978 to 2015). Policies to increase the crude birth rate are known as pro-natalist policies, and policies to reduce the crude birth rate are known as anti-natalist policies. Non-coercive measures such as improved information on [[birth control]] and its availability have achieved good results in countries such as [[Family planning in Iran|Iran]] and [[Bangladesh]].

There has also been discussion on whether bringing women into the forefront of development initiatives will lead to a decline in birth rates. In some countries, government policies have focused on reducing birth rates by improving women's rights, sexual and [[reproductive health]]. Typically, high birth rates are associated with health problems, low [[life expectancy]], low living standards, low [[social status]] for women and low educational levels. [[Demographic transition]] theory postulates that as a country undergoes [[economic development]] and social change its population growth declines, with birth rates serving as an indicator.

At the 1974 [[World Population Conference]] in [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]], [[Women's rights#Modern movements|women's issues]] gained considerable attention. Family programs were discussed, and 137 countries drafted a World Population Plan of Action. As part of the discussion, many countries accepted modern [[birth control]] methods such as the [[birth control pill]] and the [[condom]] while opposing [[abortion]]. Population concerns, as well as the desire to include women in the discourse, were discussed; it was agreed that improvements in women's status and initiatives in defense of reproductive health and freedom, the environment, and sustainable socioeconomic development were needed.

Birth rates ranging from 10 to 20 births per 1,000 are considered low, while rates from 40 to 50 births per 1,000 are considered high.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=fertility-and-birth-rates|title=Fertility and Birth Rates|date=2015-03-24|website=Child Trends|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-17|archive-date=26 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526190803/http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=fertility-and-birth-rates|url-status=dead}}</ref> There are problems associated with high birth rates, and there may be problems associated with low birth rates. High birth rates may contribute to malnutrition and starvation, stress government welfare and family programs, and more importantly store up overpopulation for the future, and increase human damage to other species and habitats, and environmental degradation. Additional problems faced by a country with a high birth rate include educating a growing number of children, creating jobs for these children when they enter the workforce, and dealing with the environmental impact of a large population. Low birth rates may stress the government to provide adequate senior welfare systems and stress families who must support the elders themselves. There will be fewer younger able-bodied people who may be needed to support an ageing population, if a high proportion of older people become disabled and unable to care for themselves.