In This Issue:
- PRI in the Media
- Mosher at National Right to Life
- Deepening Depopulation
- Chile’s Fertility Hits Record Low
- South Korea’s Fertility Rate Rises
- Ireland’s Birth Rate Continues to Fall
- Communist China
- China Expands Family Subsidies
- China’s One-Child Legacy
- Chinese Pastors Denied Bibles
- Science Gone Mad
- Gene-Edited Babies on Horizon
- Pro-Life Around the World
- Uruguay Records First Euthanasia Death
- Pro-Life on the Home Front
- Abortion Pills Given Beyond FDA Limits
- Nevada Blocks Parental Notification Law
- Virginia Abortion Amendment Challenged
- Good News
- Preemie Heads Home
- PRI Research & Resources
- How the Pill Changed Society
PRI in the Media
Mosher at National Right to Life: PRI President Steven Mosher will appear at the National Right to Life Conference on June 12–13 in Arlington, Virginia. As a powerful voice in the pro-life movement, Mr. Mosher has spent decades exposing China’s coercive population control policies, including forced abortion and forced sterilization. Conference attendees will hear firsthand from a witness to some of the worst human rights abuses of the modern era and learn why defending human life remains as important as ever.
Deepening Depopulation
Chile’s Fertility Hits Record Low: Chile’s demographic crisis deepened in 2025 as births fell to just 146,446, down 46.9% from 275,916 in 1993. The nation’s fertility rate dropped to a historic low of 0.99 children per woman—the first time it has fallen below one child per woman and a 59.4% decline since 1993. Experts warn that Chile, already the most aged country in Latin America, could soon see deaths outnumber births. This would increase pressure on its workforce, economy, and social support systems.
South Korea’s Fertility Rate Rises: After years of relentless decline, South Korea’s fertility rate showed an unexpected increase, rising from a record-low 0.72 children per woman in 2023 to 0.75 in 2024 and 0.80 in 2025. March births surged 19.4% year-over-year to 25,200, the highest March total since 2019. While the increase offers a hopeful sign, South Korea remains far below the replacement rate and continues to face a severe demographic crisis marked by rapid aging and long-term population decline.
Ireland’s Birth Rate Continues to Fall: Ireland’s demographic decline continued in 2025, with births falling to 54,125—nearly 18% fewer than the 65,909 recorded in 2015. The nation’s fertility rate dropped from 1.9 to just 1.5 children per woman over the same period. Meanwhile, the average age of first-time mothers rose to 31.8 years, while the marriage rate fell from 4.8 to 3.6 marriages per 1,000 people. The figures point to delayed family formation and a deepening demographic crisis across Ireland.
Communist China
China Expands Family Subsidies: Facing one of the world’s lowest fertility rates, China is increasing childcare subsidies by 10.6%, bringing total government spending on childcare support to roughly 110 billion yuan ($15.3 billion). The move comes as China’s fertility rate fell from 1.02 in 2024 to just 0.97 in 2025. Despite expanded cash payments, free preschool, and childbirth benefits, China recorded only 7.92 million births against 11.31 million deaths last year, highlighting the severity of its demographic crisis.
China’s One-Child Legacy: More than four decades after China began enforcing population-control policies, official figures reveal the staggering human cost: 336 million abortions, 196 million sterilizations, and 403 million IUD insertions since 1971. These horrifying numbers represent one of the largest assaults on human life and family formation in history. As China now struggles with rapid aging and population decline, the demographic consequences of decades of coercive population control continue to unfold.
Chinese Pastors Denied Bibles: Three leaders of the Maizhong Reformed Church in Anhui Province have reportedly been denied access to Bibles during nearly 11 months of detention, despite Chinese regulations allowing inmates to receive approved reading materials. Pastor Zhang Sen, Pastor Chang Shun, and Elder Ma Tao were arrested following a June 2025 raid on their house church.Their family members argue the denial violates China’s own laws and highlights the ongoing repression of independent Christian communities that refuse state control.
Science Gone Mad
Gene-Edited Babies on Horizon: Canadian biotech entrepreneur Cathy Tie is openly campaigning to legalize the genetic modification of human embryos, arguing that gene editing should be used to eliminate inherited diseases. Tie’s efforts come as billionaire-backed startups pour funding into embryo screening and genetic engineering, while some investors openly discuss creating “better” babies through biotechnology. This experiment crosses a dangerous ethical line, treating human embryos as products to be designed and opening the door to a new era of eugenics. Although germline gene editing remains banned in the U.S., U.K., and China, Tie insists its widespread adoption is only a matter of time.
Pro-Life Around the World
Uruguay Records First Euthanasia Death: Uruguay recorded its first death by euthanasia on May 22, one month after its “Dignified Death” law took effect. The 69-year-old woman, who had terminal cancer, became the first person to die under legislation passed in October 2025. Uruguay is the first Latin American country to legalize euthanasia. Church leaders opposed the law, urging society to care for and accompany the suffering rather than intentionally ending their lives.
Pro-Life on the Home Front
Abortion Pills Given Beyond FDA Limits: A new Charlotte Lozier Institute study found that 81% of online abortion pill vendors—64 in total—ship abortion drugs to women beyond the FDA’s 10-week gestational limit. Researchers also found that eight organizations are mailing abortion pills into pro-life states in violation of state laws, while 18 websites require no identification before purchase. The findings highlight the lack of medical oversight, legal accountability, and safety protections surrounding the rapidly expanding abortion pill industry.
Nevada Blocks Parental Notification Law: The Nevada Supreme Court has blocked enforcement of a law requiring parents to be notified when a minor seeks an abortion, ordering a lower court to issue a preliminary injunction while litigation continues. The ruling prevents Senate Bill 510 from taking effect and follows legal challenges brought by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. The decision further weakens parental rights by allowing minors to obtain abortions without their parents’ knowledge or involvement.
Virginia Abortion Amendment Challenged: A coalition of physicians and pro-life advocates have filed a lawsuit challenging Virginia’s proposed “Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment,” arguing that its ballot language is deceptive and fails to disclose the amendment’s full scope. The amendment could remove parental notification requirements for minors, eliminate health and safety regulations, and expand abortion access throughout the third trimester of pregnancy. The case seeks to block the abortion amendment before Virginians vote on it in November.
Good News
Preemie Heads Home: A baby boy born weighing just 1 pound and 8 ounces is finally preparing to leave the hospital after spending more than 400 days in the NICU. During his lengthy stay, Colsen Knox required a breathing tube for his first 145 days and underwent multiple procedures. Now weighing nearly 21 pounds, Colsen’s remarkable recovery highlights both the resilience of premature babies and the lifesaving care that helps them survive and thrive.
PRI Research & Resources
How the Pill Changed Society: This week, we highlight PRI’s fact sheet on the societal impact of the birth control pill. The evidence shows that since its introduction in 1960, widespread contraceptive use has contributed to declining marriage rates, rising divorce, delayed childbearing, and the devaluation of motherhood. Our fact sheet notes that marriage among adults ages 25–37 fell from 67% of Baby Boomers to 46% of Millennials, while the average age of first marriage for women rose from 20.8 in 1960 to 27.8 in 2017.
Quote of the Week
“Thus, the ‘rejected stones’ — the poor, the sick, the migrants, and the least among us — will become the cornerstone, and a solid, welcoming common home will emerge on the earth, where love and faithfulness will finally meet, and righteousness and peace will embrace.”
~ Pope Leo XIV
