[aerohead]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

The "education is the best contraceptive" idea seems insufficient as an explanation, as if knowing how babies are made or something is the primary limiter of birthrates.

The reason education limits birthrates is because it's expensive and takes all of a woman's reproductively prime years. No time or money for children. The last thing a woman learns as she finally finishes school and establishes a career is what geriatric pregnancy is, followed by reproductive therapy. That is of course, if she can attract a male whom she also finds attractive.

It's learning that birth isn't an automatic death sentence for as many infants which creates the inflexion point in birthrate.