Fertility rates decline sharply in Mexico and Argentina

Mexico and Argentina are experiencing significant declines in fertility rates, driven by a variety of socioeconomic and cultural factors.

In Mexico, data from INEGI’s 2025 Intercensal Survey shows the average number of children per woman has dropped from 1.9 to 1.2 in just five years. Regional disparities are notable: Mexico City reports a low average of 0.8 children, while states like Chiapas and Guerrero maintain higher rates. Experts and residents attribute this rapid decline to the rising cost of living, water scarcity, and increased economic pressures.

Similarly, Argentina has seen its global fertility rate fall from 2.4 children per woman in 2014 to 1.2 in 2024, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). While the downward trend in Argentina began much earlier, it has accelerated sharply over the last decade. Factors contributing to this shift include improved access to reproductive healthcare, contraceptive methods, the postponement of motherhood, and economic and housing barriers. Additionally, changing social structures, such as the declining centrality of marriage and the rise of cohabitation, are reshaping family dynamics.