Obama baby boom: Predicted surge in births goes bust

(Chicago Tribune) - On Nov. 4, the hope and happiness seemed boundless for supporters of President-elect Barack Obama, leading some to speculate, with a wink and a nod, that in nine months there would be a virtual Obama baby boom -- a celebratory uptick in the national birthrate.

But now, 40 weeks later -- the average human gestation period -- MSNBC is reporting the prediction has largely been nothing more than, well, false hope. In reality, experts said, a generation is not borne from one night.

In Chicago, ground zero for Obama's election celebration, area hospitals confirm that they have not seen a noticeable surge in births.