studying birth rates

From SFGate:

The study found there were 6.4 million pregnancies in the United States in 2001, resulting in about 4 million births. There were 1.3 million abortions and 1.1 million miscarriages. The pregnancies were almost evenly divided between intended and unintended, and the unintended ones led to almost even numbers of births and abortions.

Hidden in that sentence is confirmation that about 50% of pregnancies are unplanned. I conclude that if everyone in the country was willing and able to use contraception, and it were 100% effective, then our national birthrate would be cut in half. Basically, as a country, we're depending on many of our residents to plan poorly. In fact, many of them do, but they are disproportionately poor and uneducated.

It seems like in the long term, better public policy is needed, so that children will continue to be born to upper and middle class parents as well.