I cannot lie and say my experience at 19 is not a part of my decision. Before then I thought I wanted kids. But when I got pregnant I had to face the realities of the situation in a way I'd never had to before and really think about the practicalities. It was very much not going to work for me at the time (I'm sure I would have had to drop out of college and I don't think I would have gone back - I know the stats - , plus I would have been tied to an odious person for the rest of my life, plus poor and poorly placed in society to become less so, plus, plus, plus) and it also made me think about the practicalities and expense of the whole thing in general and it started a long move on my side away from wanting to have kids.

I have many other reasons too; I hate hospital and needles (getting my blood drawn makes me pass out, in fact - as do contacts); financially kids are extremely expensive and frankly I'd rather spend the money on myself; I am extremely independent, doubt I'd be able to find a good partner to raise kids with, and doubt I would be able to have kids without ending up resenting them. Of course I do acknowledge that some of this is probably good and healthy at my age and also could potentially change, but frankly, I have no interest in being responsible for a little tiny being. I like kids and sure, I'll babysit. I just don't want one for life. I sometimes have trouble understanding why people have kids.

Would it be so bad if our population dipped? I'm not sure, although it would probably have economic ramifications that I'm not capable of realizing.