[Clemenza]

Actually, Scandinavian countries have some of the highest birth rates in Western Europe.

Any theories as to why Italians, Spaniards and Austrians have birth rates well below replacement level?

[durasell]

economics. people have as many children as they can afford.

[Truthsayer20]

Any theories as to why Italians, Spaniards and Austrians have birth rates well below replacement level?

It's pretty simple, actually. In Catholic European countries it is not socially acceptable to be both a working woman and a mother. The result is that professional women often end up not having children. Educated and professional women tend to have similar birth rates in Northern Europe as rest of the female population.