One could also argue that the U.S.'s lack of affordable high-quality mass transit reduces fertility. And probably by a lot more than having to use a car seat.

One could also argue that the U.S.'s lack of affordable high-quality mass transit reduces fertility. And probably by a lot more than having to use a car seat. Owning a car is roughly as expensive as raising one child for 18 years, especially if there's any consideration given to using newer cars with higher safety standards. Cutting to the core of the article, though, is it any wonder that a hypercapitalist society doesn't prefer having children? There's no contract saying that children must contribute back to their parents in any economic way so they are a poor investment compared to bonds or stocks. A large fraction of children go to college (often at their parents' expense) and move out of the local community, newly minted economic units destined to enrich the already super-rich with their labor, which promises no tangible benefits to potential parents. The article touches on the lack of economic incentives for higher fertility but seems to treat it as more of an externality than a fundamental problem. Children used to be a capital investment and are now a cost center.