Fertility may be determined by a series of variables, and some studies show that there is a link between intelligence and reduced fertility. According to these studies, intelligent people are less fertile and less likely to have children. The results are based on studies performed in various areas of the world, on people with different educational backgrounds and variable IQ levels.
Fertility and Intelligence
Even though there is no scientific explanation why fertility may be negatively influenced by a higher level of intelligence, studies have revealed that less intelligent people have more children than intelligent people. People that are college graduates have fewer children than high school dropouts.
Possible Reasons of Low Fertility Rates in Intelligent People
There are a few possible reasons why more intelligent people have fewer children or no children at all:
- Less intelligent women tend to get married at an earlier age, which gives them more time to procreate.
- Education of women; studies have shown that women with higher education degrees have fewer children. This is due to the fact that a woman who attends college will spend some of her reproductive years studying and building a career.
- Contraception availability; intelligent people are aware of their contraception options, while less intelligent people may ignore their options and may have unplanned children.
- The income of the couple will also affect fertility: the higher the income, the lower incidence of children. Intelligent people may be able to get higher paying jobs.