What Would Make Women More Likely to Have Children? New KFF Survey

https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/womens-experiences-with-and-attitudes-towards-family-support-policies/?utm_campaign=KFF-Womens-Health-Policy&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-94jXkOPBpuv83xZBBiVqvEcO4X5y1GVt2XGCkE_H9Oo_tl2yfvGc_8aBC-HV0XkNQvUaIBdRNnWqsNDTg6k9-9TjF_LQ&_hsmi=443218914&utm_content=443218914&utm_source=hs_email Survey: Four in Ten Women Say Help with Childcare Costs or Paid Leave Would Make Them More Likely to Consider Having Children Fertility rates have been falling for years and have drawn more attention as the Trump administration focuses on encouraging Americans to have more children. New findings from the 2026 KFF Women’s Health Survey show that about 4 in 10 women of reproductive age (18 to 49) say help with childcare costs (43%) or requiring employers to offer paid parental leave (43%) would affect their decisions about whether to have children. Fewer women say an expanded child tax credit (35%) or a one-time cash payment after a new child arrives (35%) would make a difference. The survey shows the potential impact of these family-support policies is strongest among women who are already thinking about having children. Among the 23% of reproductive-age women who are considering having or adopting a child in the next three years, about 7 in 10 say paid parental leave (72%) or assistance with childcare costs (68%) would make them more likely to do so. A second Women’s Health Survey analysis looks at women's access to fertility care. As the Trump administration has made efforts to make some in vitro fertilization drugs available at lower prices, 15% of reproductive-age women say they or their partner have ever needed fertility services to become pregnant or prevent a miscarriage. One in 10 (11%) say they received services, and 3% say they needed care but could not get it, most often because of cost.