Young‑women decline may be postponement

Preliminary CDC data show the biggest fertility declines are among teenagers and women in their 20s; this may reflect postponement of births rather than permanent childlessness. If cohorts catch up at older ages, the short‑term dip could overstate long‑term population decline. — Distinguishing tempo (postponement) from quantum (lifetime fertility) matters for policy responses—whether to treat the drop as a transient effect or a structural collapse with major economic and immigration implications.