What demographic factors are likely to decrease birth rates?

Access to education and health care significantly contributes to decreasing birth rates. When individuals, particularly women, have greater access to education, they tend to postpone marriage and childbirth to pursue personal and professional goals. Education empowers people with knowledge about family planning, reproductive health, and the socioeconomic implications of having children, often leading to more informed decisions about family size.

Health care access, particularly reproductive health services, allows for better family planning methods. With effective contraception, families can control the number of children they have, which often results in fewer births. Furthermore, when the overall health of a population improves, infant mortality rates typically decrease, which can also influence families to have fewer children, as they feel more secure about the survival of their existing children.

Considering the other options, past migration patterns may affect population dynamics but do not directly influence birth rates. A high number of migrants can contribute to population growth, as they might have higher fertility rates or bring different cultural practices regarding family size. Lastly, higher urbanization rates typically correlate with lower birth rates, but if there is no change in urbanization, it won't necessarily lead to a decrease in birth rates alone.