U.S. births fewest in 35 years, CDC says
NEW YORK — U.S. births continued to fall last year, leading to the fewest number of newborns in 35 years.
In a report released Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the number of births in 2019 fell about 1% from 2018, to about 3.7 million. Birthrates continued to fall for teen mothers and for women in their 20s. The report, which is considered preliminary, is based on a review of more than 99% of birth certificates issued last year.
The total fertility rate in 2019 was 1,705 births per 1,000 women — well below the level at which a given generation can exactly replace itself (2,100 births per 1,000 women). The total fertility rate has been below the replacement since 2007.
Aside from a one-year uptick in 2014, U.S. births have been falling every year since 2007, when a recession hit the country. The drop continued even after the economy rebounded.
Experts say there are a number of causes, but chief among them are shifting attitudes about motherhood: Many women and couples delay having children and have fewer children once they start.
The decline is the latest sign of a prolonged national “baby bust” that’s been going on for more than a decade. And some experts believe the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the economy will suppress the numbers further.
“This unpredictable environment, and anxiety about the future, is going to make women think twice about having children,” said Dr. Denise Jamieson, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University.