Filmmaker warns of plummeting global birth rate crisis

Data analyst Stephen Shaw's new documentary 'Birthgap' explores the dangers of declining fertility rates worldwide.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 5:39am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a baby bottle or pacifier repeated in a tight grid pattern, utilizing flat, vibrant, and unnatural neon color palettes overlapping with heavy black photographic outlines to turn an everyday parenting object into modern pop art, conceptually representing the global birth rate crisis.A vibrant pop art interpretation of a common parenting item serves as a conceptual representation of the global birth rate crisis explored in the 'Birthgap' documentary.Today in Detroit

Filmmaker and data analyst Stephen Shaw has released a new documentary called 'Birthgap' that warns about the global crisis of plummeting birth rates. Shaw argues that unlike other major issues like nuclear proliferation or climate change, there are no clear solutions to declining fertility. His research found that unplanned childlessness, not just intentional choices, is a major driver behind falling birth rates across the globe.

Why it matters

Shaw's findings suggest that the consequences of population collapse could be severe, with the closure of schools, the collapse of local communities, and the decay of infrastructure in areas with declining populations. He believes the nations that will 'survive' are those that can encourage younger generations to prioritize starting families at a younger age.

The details

Shaw's documentary 'Birthgap' features interviews with women around the world who share that they have put off having children in order to focus on higher education first. He has also found that a significant number of women have had trouble finding a 'suitable partner' with whom to have children. Shaw dismisses the idea that rising costs of living are the main cause, arguing that greater wealth is actually associated with smaller family sizes.

  • In the 1970s, fertility rates in Western nations began a rapid decline.
  • As of 2024, the world fertility rate was 2.2, only slightly above replacement level.

The players

Stephen Shaw

A filmmaker and data analyst who created the documentary 'Birthgap' to investigate plummeting global birth rates.

Brendan O'Neill

A podcaster who interviewed Shaw about the findings in his documentary.

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What they’re saying

“This is in a category of one in terms of how bad it is.”

— Stephen Shaw, Filmmaker and data analyst

“I think a lot of the issues we're seeing in societies and particularly in younger people are actually consequences of the reengineering of our societies to deprioritize parenthood.”

— Stephen Shaw, Filmmaker and data analyst

What’s next

Shaw suggests that societies make their educational systems more flexible and accommodating of 'lifelong learning' so that young couples, and women in particular, are encouraged to prioritize having families, with the assurance that they can continue education later in life.

The takeaway

Shaw's documentary 'Birthgap' highlights the alarming global trend of declining birth rates, which he argues poses a uniquely dangerous threat to society with no clear solutions. His research suggests the problem is driven by unplanned childlessness, not just intentional choices, and could lead to severe consequences like school closures and infrastructure decay in affected areas.