[Windflier]

The birth rate in Mexico will be below that of the U.S. soon, if it already isn’t lower.

Interesting. First I've heard of Mexico having a declining birthrate. What's the reason? Contraception and abortion?

[Verginius Rufus]

I have heard this said about Mexico before.

Currently the birthrate in Mexico is about 19 per 1,000 pop., compared to 13.7 in the US, 10.3 in Canada, and 27 in Guatemala. The other Central American countries have rates similar to Mexico's.

Heard someone on C-SPAN the other day saying that in Brazil when women start watching soap operas, they see small families being held up as an ideal and the birth rate drops--they can trace it as electricity first becomes available in one village after another and the women start watching soap operas, the birth rate quickly drops.