US birth rate falls to record low, ending pandemic rise
The number of babies born each year in the United States has hit a record low. analysis of 2023 birth certificate data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Last year's economic slowdown officially marks an end. Increase in newborns It started between COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) Pandemic. At least 3,591,328 babies were born in the United States in 2023, down 2% from the 3,667,758 babies born in 2022.
This is on par with the annual rate of decline seen before the pandemic, when the number of infants was declining by about 2% each year on average, the report said.
There were already signs last year that the pandemic birth surge was coming to an end.There was a slight Fewer babies will be born in 2022 Compared to 2021, agency officials said at the time that the decline was not large enough to be considered a statistically significant decrease.
“Last year, the difference was very small. This year, the difference is 74,000 people or so. So it's pretty significant,” CDC's Brady Hamilton, one of the report's authors, told CBS News. Told.
Although records for almost 100% of registered births have already been reported to authorities, the estimates in the report remain “preliminary estimates” until the last remaining data are reported.
A new report Thursday by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics Carefully monitored data Information about birth certificates that government agencies collect from state and local governments throughout the year. The report was released earlier this year.last year's preliminary report It didn't come out until June.
“We started early and kept the momentum going, so we were able to release early,” Hamilton said.
Total fertility rate declines
Adding up last year's births, there were 1,616.5 births per 1,000 women in the United States. This figure, called the total fertility rate, calculates the average number of births a woman would have in her lifetime if the current fertility rate remained the same.
Unless the U.S. reaches 2,100 births per 1,000 people, or an average of 2.1 children per woman, the total population is likely to decline in the absence of other population inflows.US Census Bureau Estimate Researchers say the recent population growth is due to a rebound in immigration and a decline in deaths.
The total fertility rate in the United States has been below the level needed to replace the deaths of the previous generation since 1971.
“Think about it from the perspective of a woman and her partner. So if the total fertility rate is 2, you're replacing her with a man in the population. It has to be 2.1 to compensate for mortality. '' said Hamilton.
The number of new births in 2023 was flat or decreased compared to 2022 for most groups, except for Hispanic women, which increased by 1%.
Teenage birth rate has plateaued
The birth rate by age group also decreased or remained unchanged from 2022 to 2023 for almost all women, young and old. This includes women aged 40 to 44, whose birth rate has increased almost every year since 1985.
however, In the past, the birth rate among teenagers was plummeting. It has gradually leveled off in recent years, decreasing by 3% from 2022 to 2023. There were 13.2 births per 1,000 female teenagers aged 15 to 19.
“It's important to remember that before that, if you look at 2007 to 2022, the birth rate for teens aged 15 to 19 was down an average of 7%. And now it's down to 2% and 3%. So the question is: why?'' Hamilton said.
“We need to investigate why it's only half of what it was before, and that could be due to many factors. There's a lot to investigate and figure out.”
The smallest decline was seen among teenagers aged 15 to 17, whose birth rate remained virtually unchanged from 2022.
Caesarean section births increase again
According to a new report from the CDC, 32.4% of newborns in 2023 will be delivered by cesarean section, up from the 2022 figure of 32.1%.
This is the fourth consecutive increase. Cesarean section rate After interest rates fell from 2009 to 2019, due to the pandemic.
Cesarean section has the highest birth rate black mom, which rose to 37% last year. The percentages of Asian, white, and Hispanic women also increased slightly.
Among low-risk births, caesarean section births rose to 26.6%. A low-risk delivery is defined as a full-term, head-to-head delivery of a single baby at least 37 weeks old by a mother who has never had a child before.
This is the highest percentage since 2013, the report said.
Summarize this content to 100 words The number of babies born each year in the United States has hit a record low. analysis of 2023 birth certificate data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year's economic slowdown officially marks an end. Increase in newborns It started between COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) Pandemic. At least 3,591,328 babies were born in the United States in 2023, down 2% from the 3,667,758 babies born in 2022. This is on par with the annual rate of decline seen before the pandemic, when the number of infants was declining by about 2% each year on average, the report said.
There were already signs last year that the pandemic birth surge was coming to an end.There was a slight Fewer babies will be born in 2022 Compared to 2021, agency officials said at the time that the decline was not large enough to be considered a statistically significant decrease.”Last year, the difference was very small. This year, the difference is 74,000 people or so. So it's pretty significant,” CDC's Brady Hamilton, one of the report's authors, told CBS News. Told.
Although records for almost 100% of registered births have already been reported to authorities, the estimates in the report remain “preliminary estimates” until the last remaining data are reported. A new report Thursday by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics Carefully monitored data Information about birth certificates that government agencies collect from state and local governments throughout the year. The report was released earlier this year.last year's preliminary report It didn't come out until June.”We started early and kept the momentum going, so we were able to release early,” Hamilton said.Total fertility rate declinesAdding up last year's births, there were 1,616.5 births per 1,000 women in the United States. This figure, called the total fertility rate, calculates the average number of births a woman would have in her lifetime if the current fertility rate remained the same.
Unless the U.S. reaches 2,100 births per 1,000 people, or an average of 2.1 children per woman, the total population is likely to decline in the absence of other population inflows.US Census Bureau Estimate Researchers say the recent population growth is due to a rebound in immigration and a decline in deaths. The total fertility rate in the United States has been below the level needed to replace the deaths of the previous generation since 1971. “Think about it from the perspective of a woman and her partner. So if the total fertility rate is 2, you're replacing her with a man in the population. It has to be 2.1 to compensate for mortality. '' said Hamilton.The number of new births in 2023 was flat or decreased compared to 2022 for most groups, except for Hispanic women, which increased by 1%. Teenage birth rate has plateauedThe birth rate by age group also decreased or remained unchanged from 2022 to 2023 for almost all women, young and old. This includes women aged 40 to 44, whose birth rate has increased almost every year since 1985.however, In the past, the birth rate among teenagers was plummeting. It has gradually leveled off in recent years, decreasing by 3% from 2022 to 2023. There were 13.2 births per 1,000 female teenagers aged 15 to 19. “It's important to remember that before that, if you look at 2007 to 2022, the birth rate for teens aged 15 to 19 was down an average of 7%. And now it's down to 2% and 3%. So the question is: why?'' Hamilton said.
“We need to investigate why it's only half of what it was before, and that could be due to many factors. There's a lot to investigate and figure out.”The smallest decline was seen among teenagers aged 15 to 17, whose birth rate remained virtually unchanged from 2022.Caesarean section births increase againAccording to a new report from the CDC, 32.4% of newborns in 2023 will be delivered by cesarean section, up from the 2022 figure of 32.1%. This is the fourth consecutive increase. Cesarean section rate After interest rates fell from 2009 to 2019, due to the pandemic.Cesarean section has the highest birth rate black mom, which rose to 37% last year. The percentages of Asian, white, and Hispanic women also increased slightly. Among low-risk births, caesarean section births rose to 26.6%. A low-risk delivery is defined as a full-term, head-to-head delivery of a single baby at least 37 weeks old by a mother who has never had a child before. This is the highest percentage since 2013, the report said.
Alexander Ting
Alexander Ting is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C., bureau. He is covering the Biden administration's public health agencies, including the federal government's response to infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-birth-rate-drops-record-low-2023-after-pandemic-uptick/ US birth rate falls to record low, ending pandemic rise
