This paper argues that insufficient family planning is a root driver of persistent poverty in the United States. Drawing on data regarding out-of-wedlock birth rates — which approach three-quarters among some minority populations — and the tendency of lower-income, less-educated individuals to have more children earlier, the paper contends that these trends are unsustainable over generations. It identifies key barriers to accessing family planning programs, including time constraints and lack of perceived need, and points to unemployment, racism, sexism, and absentee parenting as aggravating factors. The paper concludes by calling for a cultural shift that prioritizes deliberate family planning and parental accountability.
The rise in the number of people living in poverty is a deeply concerning trend. Many observers are focused on how to raise the standard of living for these individuals and sustain those gains over time, rather than continuing to rely on donated and government funds as a permanent solution. Ultimately, a central piece of this puzzle appears to be family planning. While it is sensitive territory to discuss who should or should not have children — and any such conversation would require a carefully considered set of standards — there is considerable merit in the idea of helping people understand what they can realistically afford and what choices are best deferred. Though the subject may be uncomfortable to raise, the current trajectories visible even within the United States are deeply troubling and must change.
While it would be possible to examine family planning challenges in countries beyond the United States, the country itself provides ample evidence that family planning is not occurring with nearly enough frequency or forethought, and the effects are far-reaching. As one example, the number of children born out of wedlock in the United States has been rising steadily for years, reaching nearly half of all births across all races and populations combined. Among minority communities, the rate of births to unmarried mothers can be as high as three-quarters (Weissmann, 2014).
A related issue is that those who are poor and less educated tend to have more children than those who are more affluent and educated. This disparity appears to stem largely from the fact that wealthier, more educated individuals are more likely to delay having children, while far less caution and deliberate planning is evident among lower-income populations (Lerner, 2011).
This pattern is deeply unsustainable and harmful over time. The more it continues, the more broken families emerge, the more stepfamilies and reassembled households are formed under difficult circumstances, and the more children grow up in poverty. Some argue that schools are generally performing adequately; however, poverty itself profoundly diminishes student academic performance, independent of school quality. When this cycle plays out across multiple generations, the long-term consequences become predictable and severe (ASCD, 2016).
Access to family planning programs for those who are poor or who would benefit from delaying parenthood could make a significant difference. It must be made clear how much damage can result when people begin having children too early or without the necessary financial and personal resources in place. Barriers to accessing these programs include the demands of work and existing childcare responsibilities, which leave little time for individuals to engage with support services. Additionally, not everyone recognizes that they have a family planning problem; many simply wish to make their own choices without outside input. However, the broader impacts on society and the local community must be communicated clearly, particularly the long-term costs of unplanned parenthood.
The factors that aggravate and worsen the situation include poverty itself, unemployment, racism, sexism, and absentee parenting — with the latter most commonly referring to fathers who do not support the children they helped bring into the world, either financially or emotionally (Guttmacher, 2016). Addressing these underlying determinants is essential to any meaningful improvement in family planning outcomes.
The trajectory this country is on is deeply troubling, but it is not irreversible. The foster care system is overburdened with children, and too many parents — for a variety of reasons — are unable or unwilling to fulfill their responsibilities. Family planning programs can only accomplish so much on their own. What is truly needed is a cultural shift: one that normalizes and encourages deliberate planning before starting a family, holds parents accountable for reckless reproductive choices, and ensures that those who do not wish to raise children do not bring them into the world unprepared.
"Obstacles to access and social factors worsening outcomes"
Lerner, S. (2011). America's fertility class divide: New numbers reveal a problem. Slate Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2011/09/knocked_up_and_knocked_down.html
Weissmann, J. (2014). For millennials, out-of-wedlock childbirth is the norm. Now what? Slate Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2014/06/for_millennials_out_of_wedlock_childbirth_is_the_norm_now_what.html
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