The US fertility rate has been trending down for decades, leaving researchers and policymakers searching for causes that may help pinpoint solutions. There have been all kinds of theories, including soaring costs of childcare, the rise of birth control and even the role of car seat regulations.

New research links the rise of the iPhone and smartphones to falling birth rates worldwide, suggesting digital life may be reshaping sex, fertility and family plans.

New research reveals smartphones may contribute to declining birth rates, reshaping relationships and social behaviors alongside financial pressures and evolving societal norms.