The US Could See a Baby Boom This Summer, Study Says
Get ready for more adorable baby pictures on your feed.
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If it feels like you haven’t been invited to a baby shower in a long time—that could all change very soon. After a decline in births during most of 2020 and 2021, America could be gearing up for a baby boom this summer.
According to a study out of the University of Michigan, many adults who were considering having children put a pause on family planning during COVID-19. However, researchers from the study say this trend will be reversing, and they expect to see lots of babies being born as soon as this summer.
For the study, researchers used a modeling system based on health records to make this baby boom prediction. They say hospitals could see a 10-15% increase in births over what would normally be expected. While pregnancies increased from 2017 to 2020, there was a 41% decline after the coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, but those days of fewer babies being born could be over.
"We expect a dramatic rebound soon," said study lead author Dr. Molly Stout. "We're already seeing signs of a summer baby surge."
It’s easy to understand why would-be-parents were hesitant to have children during a pandemic. From the health concerns, economic uncertainty, the lack of child care or family support because of restrictions, and the overall stress of living through a world-wide pandemic, there were plenty of reasons to not have a baby in 2020. However, with multiple vaccines available and much of the country beginning to return to normal, parents are feeling more at ease with their decision to add to their family.
Researchers noted a decline in births has also happened during other periods in time, such as the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the Great Depression in 1929, and recession of 2008.
This type of research helps hospitals and doctors plan for an increase in patients as more women will need prenatal and postnatal care as well as an increase in labor and delivery visits.
So not only can you expect to see more cute and cuddly babies in your Instagram feed this summer, but you may need to gift a new mom something special. If you need some inspiration of what she will need, here are a few of our favorites.
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