Dr. Mehmet Oz told a White House audience Monday that roughly 1 in 3 Americans are “under-babied,” meaning they have no children or fewer children than they want.
The comment came during a maternal healthcare and fertility event held in the Oval Office on May 11, 2026. Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, described the situation as part of a broader fertility crisis, noting the U.S. fertility rate has dropped below the 2.1 replacement level needed to sustain population.
President Donald Trump, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other officials attended the gathering, which focused on expanding access to prenatal care, IVF support and rural maternal services.
President Trump announces NEW initiatives to lower costs, expand access to fertility care, & deliver meaningful support for moms!🇺🇸
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 11, 2026
✅New guidance to expand employer fertility benefits
✅Launch of https://t.co/tYjtEdB7zZ
✅Major childcare reforms to boost access & affordability pic.twitter.com/A3P1nY34nb
The administration used the event to roll out new initiatives, including guidance encouraging employers to offer fertility benefits, the launch of a new resource site called moms.gov, and deals aimed at cutting IVF drug costs by up to $2,200 per cycle. Officials highlighted extra strain on maternal care in rural communities, where maternal mortality rates run about 30 percent higher than the national average.
The phrase “under-babied” drew immediate attention online, prompting a mix of jokes, memes and criticism as people debated economic pressures such as housing and childcare costs that influence family decisions. No injuries or other incidents were reported at the event.
The remarks align with recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics showing the fertility rate fell slightly in 2025 to 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15-44. Public health leaders say the trend reflects long-term demographic shifts rather than any single cause.
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