Births
The birth rate is one of the most important determinants of a country’s population growth, potentially impacting policy decisions about the health system, education, and economy (1). Changing patterns in social and cultural norms, as well as increases in educational attainment and contraceptive use, have contributed to the decrease in birth rates among women under age 35, who account for most births in the United States, and the increase in birth rates among older women (2,3).
Key Findings
The number of live births per 1,000 women decreased from 13.5 in 2009 to 11.4 in 2019. See Featured Charts for additional analysis.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Natality. See Sources and Definitions, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and Health, United States, 2020–2021 Table Brth.
Over the past decade, birth rates have decreased for younger women and increased for older women.
NOTES: APC is annual percent change. “Stable” refers to no statistically significant trend during the period.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Natality. See Sources and Definitions, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and Health, United States, 2020–2021 Table Brth.
- For teenagers aged 15–19 years, live births per 1,000 females decreased from 37.9 in 2009 to 18.8 in 2017, and then decreased at a slower rate to 16.7 in 2019.
- Birth rates decreased for women aged 20–24 and 25–29 from 2009 to 2019.
- For women aged 30–34 and 35–39, birth rates increased from 2009 to 2016, and then were stable from 2016 to 2019.
- For women aged 40–44, live births per 1,000 women were stable from 2009 to 2013, and then increased from 2013 to 2019. For women aged 45–54, the birth rate increased from 2009 to 2019.
Birth rates decreased among most race and Hispanic-origin groups during the period, but differences by group remain.
NOTES: NH is non-Hispanic origin. NHOPI is Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. API is Asian or Pacific Islander. AIAN is American Indian or Alaska Native. APC is annual percent change. “Stable” refers to no statistically significant trend during the period.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Natality. See Sources and Definitions, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and Health, United States, 2020–2021 Table Brth.
- Birth rates decreased for both non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women from 2009 to 2011, and then decreased at a slower rate to 2019.
- Birth rates decreased for both non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native women from 2009 to 2015, and then decreased at a faster rate through 2019.
- From 2009 to 2015, the birth rate for non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander women did not change significantly. From 2016 to 2019, the birth rate for non-Hispanic Asian women decreased, while the birth rate for non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander women remained stable.
- In 2019, birth rates were 17.0 among non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 14.6 among Hispanic, 13.4 among non-Hispanic Black, 13.0 among non-Hispanic Asian, 11.9 among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native, and 9.8 among non-Hispanic White women.
Download the data
Crude birth rates, fertility rates, and birth rates, by age, race, and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, selected years 1950–2019
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Natality.
Infant mortality rates, by race: United States, selected years 1950–2019
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.
- Birth rate: Calculated by dividing the number of live births in a population in a year by the midyear resident population. See Sources and Definitions, Rate: Birth and related rates.
- Hispanic origin: People of Hispanic origin may be of any race. See Sources and Definitions, Hispanic origin.
- Race: Starting with 2016 data, estimates are presented according to the 1997 Office of Management and Budget’s “Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity,” which includes separating the Asian or Pacific Islander classification into two groups: Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Single-race estimates for 2016 and beyond are not completely comparable with bridged-race estimates for earlier years, particularly for smaller race categories. See Sources and Definitions, Race.
- Grundy E, Murphy M. Demography and public health. In: Detels R, Gulliford M, Karim QA, Tan CC, editors. Oxford textbook of global public health. 6th ed. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 718–35. 2015.
- Sweeney MM, Raley RK. Race, ethnicity, and the changing context of childbearing in the United States. Annu Rev Sociol 40:539–58. 2014.
- Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK, Driscoll AK. Births: Final data for 2019. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 70 no 2. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021.