Birth rate perhaps, but how many of those are naturally conceived without any assistance? Obstetrics has lots of issues too but that's a whole forum elsewhere.

The thing is, our rate shouldn't just be rising at little bit. In accordance with history, contraception aside, it should be booming. Left field again, but still relevant because this is our pattern as human beings, in 1750 changes in the design of ploughing and harvesting equipment, and the planting of beans instead of letting one third of the land farrow led to a massive increase in food production. This is the cycle I was talking about. The increase in food reduced disease allowing more women to reach the age of fertility. As a result the population exploded from 7.5 million to 75 million over a period of 20 years. That's a tenfold increase in population. We've never had so many women reaching the age of fertility and nor have we had as much access to good food as we do now, and while women do use medical contraception now so they're not having 12 children, they shouldn't be having as much trouble as many, many women are now just conceiving and keeping one. Something else is going on, and it's not obstetrics. Perhaps as we vaccinate the third world to "save them" we might see a decrease in population too that can't be blamed on disease - who knows. I'd still like to know why HCG is also found in some vaccines!