Cluster 4 · Explained
Fertility and society
Why birth rates are falling across Europe, why people have children later, and what the research says about one of the most discussed explanations: the cost of housing.
Housing and fertility: what the data say
Does the cost of housing lower birth rates? What OECD data, studies of homeowners and renters in the US and England, and European comparisons actually show, with their limits.
Europe's falling birth rates: the figures behind the headlines
The EU fertility rate hit a record low of 1.38 in 2023 and France fell to 1.56 in 2025. What these numbers measure, how countries compare, and what the long-term forecasts say.
Why people have children later, and what it means for fertility
The mean age at first birth in the EU rose to 29.8 in 2023. Why parenthood is being postponed, how age affects the chance of conceiving and IVF success, and the role of egg freezing.
Fertility and society is part of the plain-language section of reproduction-online.org. Articles cite their sources and are dated. They explain published guidance and research and are not medical advice.