US fertility rate drops to historic low, CDC says
(CNN) – American women are having babies less often, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC said the fertility rate reached a historic low in 2023.
The data published Tuesday shows the fertility rate fell 3% from 2022 to about 55 births for every 1,000 females.
The U.S. fertility rate has been trending down for decades.
An uptick in 2021 then spurred theories about a COVID-19 “baby bump.” However, the birth rate quickly returned to its more consistent downward pattern.
The CDC data also shows births have continued to shift to older mothers. Data shows birth rates were highest among women ages 30 to 34 last year.
Last year’s teen birth rate also dropped to a record low, according to the data.
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