The Italian “demographic winter” has a number of reasons, but the increase in male biological infertility is not one of them (Birth of a child: Italians celebrate the first child in 30 years in the village, December 26).
Much concern has been raised about falling sperm counts some researchbut later meta-analysis discovered, thanks to the inclusion of regional control, increase in sperm counts in the United States between 1970 and 2018. Sperm counts may drop in places like Chinese provinces Henanwhich has a significant volume of air and water pollutionbut there is limited evidence that sperm counts are falling in developed countries.
In 2024 Pew Research Center asked women and men over 50 who have never had children why they didn't. About a third (31%) didn't want them, but more compelling reasons included “it just didn't happen” (39%) and “didn't find the right partner” (33%). Since 1980, the Italian birth rate has fallen from 77% to 60%, representing 77% of the fall in the Italian birth rate over this period (calculated using microdemographic basis And Government data on fertility). The demographic winter is caused, first of all, by a reduction in the number of people becoming parents, which is primarily due to untimely overcoming of life milestones, including romantic ones.
Peter Forshaw Brooks
Director, Center for Family and Education
