Baby boom

Definition

A baby boom is a time period characterized by significantly higher birth rates relative to the immediately preceding period, and most likely, relative to the period immediately thereafter as well.

Baby booms may be seen in the statistics in the form of higher crude birth rates, higher general fertility rates, and higher total fertility rates. However, their effect on the completed fertility rate is unclear, and depends on the reasons behind the baby boom. In the case that the boom is a response to a preceding period where childbearing faced significant hurdles, the baby boom may simply be a result of "postponed babies" -- and therefore would not affect completed fertility values. Historical examples of baby booms have a significant component of this sort.