Local doctors seeing a baby bust in wake of lockdown, 2020 birth rates continue years-long decline
May 24, 2021 - Alex ThorsonDoctors were prepared for a baby boom — but got a baby bust instead. Local hospitals are reporting a sharp decrease in births during the pandemic.
The birth rate matters from an economic standpoint. “There are a number of different effects going on in the economy,” said VCU economics professor Leslie Stratton. Fewer kids being born means fewer people buying things, fewer people joining the workforce, going to schools, taking care of elders and paying into programs like social security.