The Implications of a Pandemic Baby Boom

Exploring the Public and Private Consequences of Increased Birth Rates During COVID-19

Isolation and quarantine have undeniably increased tensions among family members. However, assuming you also like your partner, the long hours at home and the reduction in the stress of juggling busy schedules may lead to an increase in sexual activity. It is well-known that an increase in sexual activity among the general population can lead to a higher than average birth rate nine months later, a phenomenon known as a "baby boom."

In the last century, such baby booms primarily occurred after wars. However, in recent decades, we have seen examples worldwide of increased birth rates nine months after various events that forced people to stay at home. It turns out that not only a soldier returning from war can warm the sheets; sometimes, even a single power outage can boost fertility.

The baby boom is influenced not only by having more time together but also by other unusual factors. During times of loss and anxiety, such as natural disasters or recovery from war, logistical challenges can make it difficult to access routine contraceptives. When you combine forced stays at home with a loved one, sadness, and a lack of condoms, the result is understandable.

While it might seem like a romantic phenomenon, baby booms have both public and private consequences. On a public level, such birth waves impact the health system, education system, and, ultimately, national insurance and pensions throughout the lives of the members of the "Corona generation." The problem is that it is difficult for us to imagine tomorrow, so how can we now imagine the pensions for children born in nine months? This is why I want to focus on the private consequences of unplanned pregnancies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most studies on unplanned pregnancies were conducted during normal periods and do not represent all women who will conceive in the coming weeks. However, there are some things to consider. First, women with unplanned pregnancies often belong to disadvantaged socioeconomic groups and typically report poor marital relationships and a lack of a supportive social network.

Mothers walking with babies in Jerusalem Photo: Emil Salman

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Another point is that in the year following the birth of a child from an unplanned pregnancy, mothers are at higher risk of psychological distress, such as postpartum depression. There is a connection between the low quality of marital relationships and social support and the risk of a poorer emotional state for the mother during the adjustment to motherhood. Factors related to the family's socioeconomic status may also aggravate the stress involved in adapting to parenthood.

Although during this unusual time, not only women from disadvantaged groups can experience unplanned pregnancies, the threat of damage to livelihoods affects the entire population. A new child usually does not come out of the womb holding a bag of gold coins.

Unplanned pregnancies often occur among unmarried women, but during this period, more married women may face unplanned pregnancies than usual. It's essential to remember that an unplanned pregnancy is not a cure for strengthening the marital bond. Beyond the financial and physical burden of caring for a baby, the birth of a child activates us emotionally in more complex ways than other challenges, partly because our expectations are often unrealistic.

If I told you that due to the COVID-19 crisis, in nine months your very elderly and dependent mother-in-law with no income would move in with you, that would stress you out. The advantage would be that when it happened, you would not be disappointed.

The baby boom phenomenon after World War II

If anything, since you didn't imagine her sleeping between you and caressing her forehead, or entering her room at night to admire her beautiful face, reality could only be better than your horror visions. Maybe it would turn out she could look after the grandchildren or that she enjoys reading books in peace.

Not so with a baby on the way. Whether the relationship is good or shaky, the expectation of a baby activates our fantasies. It’s natural and lovely, and without it, we might not have children, and humanity would be extinct. However, the addition of a new child to the family may also bring severe feelings of disappointment, loneliness, and heartbreak, resulting from the gap between our fantasies and reality. When a child is born from an unplanned pregnancy into a situation where the mother is in emotional distress and the gaps between the parents grow, it can also harm the child's emotional well-being.

So before you say to yourself, "Well, nonsense. I'm not going to stand at the pharmacy now with everyone coughing for my pills," or, "What else could it be?" remember that a baby is not a bonding glue but rather a centrifugal force that can widen the gaps between us. A baby is a fire that intensifies whatever is in our pot, so it’s better not to reach parenthood in such a situation.