This archive report was first published on 10 May 2021.
According to the latest Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), the average age at first birth for a woman with primary education is 18, while a woman with secondary education has her first child at 23. Similarly, men with secondary education first become fathers at 26.
These trends mirror global birth rates, as women postpone motherhood and opt for smaller families due to rising costs of living and increased economic independence.
Environmental and reproductive epidemiologist Shanna Swan attributes falling fertility rates to 'everywhere chemicals,' including phthalates and Bisphenol-A (BPA), which affect endocrines and lead to falling testosterone levels, genital abnormalities, and reproductive issues.
Swan's research suggests a 1% increase per year in adverse reproductive changes for men, with disruptions in hormonal balance causing 'various degrees of reproductive havoc.' The world's population is projected to face significant challenges, with over 130 countries expected to have fertility rates below replacement level by 2050.
Kenya's fertility rate has dropped from 8.1 births per woman in 1970 to 3.5 in 2020, just shy of the population replacement level of 2.1. If current trends continue, the median man in the USA could have no viable sperm by 2045, and in Kenya by 2070, potentially making humans an endangered species.
Swan emphasizes the need to protect ourselves from damaging chemicals, but acknowledges the difficulty in doing so.
