For the first time in a few decades, the U.S. fertility is up. An estimate from the National Center for Health Statistics says that the U.S. fertility rate hit 2.1 last year, meaning that "the nation has reached the rate of births needed for a generation to replace itself." < p>

This is a turnaround from the declining birth rate previously seen in the United States, and a major contrast to other countries that are desperately trying to increase their birth rate. Many European countries are grappling with low birth rates, and last year Russia announced financial subsidies to women willing to produce children. Japan also offers a variety of benefits including subsidized day care to get women to have children.