one baby in row of otherwise empty hospital bassinets (Photo: Shutterstock)

The economic and public health fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic could result in an impending "baby bust." A new report published by Brookings suggests that the U.S. could see a decline of between 300,000 to 500,000 births if the labor market continues to suffer beyond this year.

Economic factors have impacted birth rates throughout history, say authors Melissa S. Kearney, a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings, and Phillip Levine, a professor of economics at Wellesley College.

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Frank Ready

Frank Ready is a reporter on the tech desk at ALM Media. He can be reached at [email protected].