Yet more proof of assimilation? The Latina birth rate is on the decline

The birthrate in the United States is on the decline, and it seems that even Latinas are getting with the concept of smaller families.

Mexican-American women, along with those who came from Mexico rather than being born here, had the steepest decline in birthrates. They’re down 5.4 percent since 2007 for those born in the U.S., and down 17.1 percent for Mexican immigrant women.

THE NEW YORK Times published a story recently based off a new Pew Research Center study  on the issue – which finds that the birthrate in this country is only about half of what it was at its peak in 1957 (all those baby-boomers).

Although I have to admit that the concept doesn’t feel all that new to me. I know in my family’s case, my mother was one of eight children (and my maternal grandmother was the oldest of nine).

Yet all I have is one brother, and of my aunts and uncles on my mother’s side of the family, none had more than three kids of their own (and most had only two or one).

I have countless cousins only because of the large base of aunts and uncles – not because my mother felt a need to breed.

FOR WHAT IT’S worth, the Times seems to think that improved access to health care, along with higher education and even the economy are the reasons that Latinas are choosing to have fewer children – just like everybody else in this society.

So much for that image the ideologues like to banter about of Latinas having countless babies to claim a larger welfare check – or to get a green card.

Although anyone with sense should have realized that a long time ago.

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