Most western European countries have a low birthrate among their native citizens simply because it is too expensive to have children. This is a by-product of a Value Added Tax (VAT), which not so incidentally the 0bama regime is beginning to push for The US.
“This is a by-product of a Value Added Tax (VAT)”
More accurately, it is a by-product of overly generous welfare states financed by VATs. If these nations didn’t spend so much, they wouldn’t need VAT in the first place. Of course, a VAT makes it way easier to gradually ratchet up rates without being noticed, so cause and effect actually run in both directions.