In a piece of trending news, the birth and fertility rate in the United States have hit a record low over the last century. A latest report depicts that the birth rate in 2023 has a major role in reaching the current situation.
The data was published on Thursday by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the US. It says that the country has a marginal drop in birth rate every year. However, the 2023 recorded birth rate in the US is alarmingly low. Preliminary data suggests that about 3.5 million children were born in 2023. Further, the statistics suggest 54.5 births per 1000 women between 15 to 44 years of age.
Dr Brady Hamilton from the Center said, “We have certainly had larger declines in the past. But decline fits the general pattern. The highest rates have, over time, been shifting towards women in their 30s whereas before it used to be with women in their 20s.”
Hamilton further said, “One factor, of course, is the option to wait. We had a pandemic, or there’s an economic downturn, let’s say – women in their 20s can postpone having a birth until things improve and they feel more comfortable. For older women, the option of waiting is not as viable.”
It is important to note that the teen birth rate, too, recorded a lowest ever of 13.2 live births for 100 females aged between 15 to 19. Notably, this stands at 79 percent lower than the most recent spike in 1991. While, the decline rate was slower in the past decades, a drastic fall was recorded between 2022 and 2023.
Ms Kalinga