The Changing Landscape of Birth Rates in the US

Birth rates in most states across the US have declined in recent years, while women are having babies at an older age, according to new data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite a short-term increase during the early years of the Covid-19 pandemic, birth rates have been consistently trending down. Covid-19 may have affected birth rates due to changes in behavior, access to prenatal health care, and closed borders. The decline in births is explained in part by the increasing age of first-time mothers, leading to fewer children overall. The teen birth rate dropped to a record low in 2022.