'Total fertility rate' undercounts US births
A widely used measure called the total fertility rate (dotted line) underestimates the total number of births women have over their lifetime. The average number of children born to women age 40-44 (solid line) provides a clearer picture of fertility over time.
Total Fertility Rate, represented with a solid green line that plunges after 2005, represents a measure based on certain assumptions. The average number of children born to women age 40-44, represented with a solid black line that dips but stays in the middle relatively stead, gives a more complete picture of fertility over time.
