Total Fertility Rate (IMAGE) University of Wisconsin-Madison Caption The total fertility rate is a measure of the expected number of children a woman will have during her lifetime. By this measure, American women's fertility has generally been declining along with the decrease in manufacturing jobs. Credit Nathan Seltzer Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.