baby bust

plural baby busts

1. A decrease in the birthrate.

   By contrast, when today’s 18-to-29-year-old group was born, the baby boom was fading into the so-called baby bust, with its precipitous decline in the U.S. birthrate.

   1990 July 16, David M. Gross, Sophfronia Scott, “Proceeding With Caution”, in Time

   1 more example

   But the real societal challenge of a Covid baby bust will be a smaller work force, which portends lower economic productivity and fewer workers to contribute to the tax base.

   2021 March 4, Melissa S. Kearney, Phillip B. Levine, “We Expect 300,000 Fewer Births Than Usual This Year”, in The New York Times, →ISSN