[concordDance]

> In any case lower childhood mortality actually reduces birth rates.

The confounders are way too strong to conclude this. Too many things correlate together.

[cycomanic]

The (strong) correlation has been shown again and again over many different populations, geographical areas and historical data, so this is in no way a controversial conclusion.

[Vecr]

Well, it's correlated, but generally household income is considered to be more causal for both reduced mortality and reduced fertility.

[concordDance]

And the confounders of wealth, contraception and women's education are just going to be ignored are they?