pronatalism
noun
pro·na·tal·ism
prō-ˈnā-tə-ˌli-zəm
variants
or pro-natalism
: a political and social movement that advocates for increasing the birth rate especially by encouraging married couples to have multiple children and to embrace traditional childcare roles
The success or failure of governments and societies that promote pronatalism hinges on their ability to persuade people—and especially women—to embrace parenthood.—Jennifer Mathers
While discussions about the economic challenges of falling birth rates exist across the political spectrum, the right has increasingly taken up the cause under the banner of "pronatalism" to promote higher birth rates.—Lisa Hagen
And since nobody stands to lose more in the future than groups that don't reproduce themselves—giving even the deepest skeptic of birthrate panic a reason to take these issues seriously—I continue to hope for a world where pro-natalism isn't just a factional issue but a shared premise of a reviving civilization.—Ross Douthat
called also natalism
pronatalist
noun
plural pronatalists
… pronatalists argue that there will be too few workers to sustain the economy and too many older people for those workers to support.
—Leslie Root et al.
pronatalist
adjective
Pronatalist government policies can increase fertility rates modestly, but they are unlikely to move fertility rates up to replacement …
—Elizabeth Brainerd
Cite this Entry
“Pronatalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pronatalism. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.
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