America's Declining Birthrate Could Be Good For The Economy

In another sign of the recession's deep impact, the federal government released a report last week showing that the national birth rate declined for the third year in a row.

More than 100,000 fewer babies took their first breath in 2010 than the year before. The fertility rate -- the number of children a woman is expected to have in her life given the current rate -- is now 1.9. That's under the 2.1 rate demographers say is necessary for a generation to replace itself.