Pronatalist & Antinatalist Policies (College Board AP® Human Geography)

• Population growth rates can also be affected by political factors, including government policies:

  • to increase the fertility rate (pronatalist policies)

  • to decrease the fertility rate (antinatalist policies)

Pronatalist Policies

• Pronatalist policies are used when a country provides incentives for people to have more children

  • The governments of highly developed countries with low birth rates, such as Germany, Japan, Russia, Singapore, and Italy have instituted pronatalist policies

  • Examples of pronatalist policies include:

    • paid maternity leave

    • free childcare

    • government tax credits

    • advertising campaigns promoting larger families

Antinatalist Policies

• Antinatalist policies are used when a country wants to decrease the birth rate and provides incentives for people to have fewer children

  • Countries such as China, India, Nigeria, and Egypt have instituted antinatalist policies

    • China’s One-Child policy is likely the most famous antinatalist policy, though the government of China has since reversed its policies

  • Examples of antinatalist policies include:

    • increased education

    • family planning clinics

    • free birth control

    • increasing the legal age of marriage