[myrmidon]

I disagree. It is completely irrelevant if you can "afford" raising a child. Your children are not gonna die because you "can't afford" them in ANY western democracy once you have them.

Actual affordability of children has zero direct effect on fertility, the only thing that really matters here is "perceived affordability" (=> and by implication, effect on lifestyle)!

So if you can "trick" people into having more sex, then expecting higher fertility is quite reasonable, while decreasing the monetary cost of raising kids might not really help much at all.

[surgical_fire]

I can't speak for anyone else.

Me and the wife only decided to have a child after finances were in order. If finances were not in order we wouldn't have had a child.

Affordability was definitely a factor.

[darkwater]

I don't think anyone is denying that here. What we are saying is that, all the other parameters equals, being together more time gives you more time and chances to have sex and get pregnant. I'm pretty sure it also increases in some couples the chances of potentially deal-breaking conflicts, but that's another topic...