U.S. Births Up for First Time in 5 Years

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that the total number of children born in the U.S. increased in 2013. This is the first increase since 2007. Total births hit 4.3 million in 2007 and then, fell dramatically through 2010, with most experts pointing to the economic recession, saying many couples faced with money troubles chose to delay having children. Total births continued to fall, but more slowly, in 2011 and 2012 before growing slightly in 2013 by 4,700. The lead author of the report called the increase “very, very, very slight.”

Among the other findings of the report was the rate of cesarean births, which fell slightly but remained well above the ideal level set by officials in the 1980s. Just under 33 percent of babies were delivered through cesarean surgery in 2013, a slight drop from 2011 and 2012. This is still more than twice the goal of 15 percent set by experts.

The teen birth rate fell by 10 percent, the largest single decline since 2009, continuing a steep downward trend that began in 1991. The birthrate of women in their 20s also fell, but rose among women in their 30s, suggesting that it is becoming more common for women to wait until their 30s to begin having children.

The full report can be found here.

 

 

Posted by Patty Brennan on June 23, 2014 • Filed under
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