Do Resources Blunt the Impact of COVID-19 on Fertility Desires in the United States?

The COVID-19 pandemic has differentially affected the general well-being of individuals based on their race and socioeconomic status. However, we know much less about the impact of COVID-19 on fertility desires among men and women. This study uses multinomial logistic regression analysis on two waves of an original and nationally representative survey (N = 2341) administered during the COVID-19 pandemic. During Wave 1 (November 2020) of the survey, White and higher-income individuals were significantly more likely to report stable fertility desires than racial/ethnic minorities and lower-income individuals. Within some demographic groups, men were more likely than women to have stable fertility desires. By Wave 2, these disparities largely persisted. White individuals remained significantly more likely to have stable fertility desires than racial/ethnic minorities. Women with higher family incomes continued to be more likely to maintain stable fertility desires compared to their lower-income counterparts. Our findings show the persistent and unequal fertility impacts of the pandemic across gender, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic lines.