Report Shows Birth Rate Reaches Record Low

US News wire ^ | 6/25/03 | na

[Quas primas]

Report Shows Birth Rate Reaches Record Low; Births to Teens Continue Decline, Cesarean Deliveries Reach All-Time High

6/25/03 11:55:00 AM

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To: National Desk, Health Reporter

Contact: CDC/NCHS Press Office, 301) 458-4800

WASHINGTON, June 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S. birth rate fell to the lowest level since national data have been available, reports the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) birth statistics released today by HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. Secretary Thompson also noted that the rate of teen births fell to a new record low, continuing a decline that began in 1991.

The birth rate was 13.9 per 1,000 persons in 2002, a decline of 1 percent from the rate of 14.1 per 1,000 in 2001 and down 17 percent from the recent peak in 1990 (16.7 per 1,000), according to a new CDC report, "Births: Preliminary Data for 2002." The current low birth rate primarily reflects the smaller proportion of women of childbearing age in the U.S. population, as baby boomers age and Americans are living longer.

There has also been a recent downturn in the birth rate for women in the peak childbearing ages. Birth rates for women in their 20s and early 30s were generally down while births to older mothers (35-44) were still on the rise. Rates were stable for women over 45.

Birth rates among teenagers were down in 2002, continuing a decline that began in 1991. The birth rate fell to 43 births per 1,000 females 15-19 years of age in 2002, a 5-percent decline from 2001 and a 28- percent decline from 1990. The decline in the birth rate for younger teens, 15-17 years of age, is even more substantial, dropping 38 percent from 1990 to 2002 compared to a drop of 18 percent for teens 18-19.

"The reduction in teen pregnancy has clearly been one of the most important public health success stories of the past decade," Secretary Thompson said. "The fact that this decline in teen births is continuing represents a significant accomplishment."

More than one fourth of all children born in 2002 were delivered by cesarean; the total cesarean delivery rate of 26.1 percent was the highest level ever reported in the United States. The number of cesarean births to women with no previous cesarean birth jumped 7 percent and the rate of vaginal births after previous cesarean delivery dropped 23 percent. The cesarean delivery rate declined during the late 1980s through the mid-1990s but has been on the rise since 1996.

Among other significant findings:

-- In 2002, there were 4,019,280 births in the United States, down slightly from 2001 (4,025,933).

-- The percent of low birth weight babies (infants born weighing less than 2,500 grams) increased to 7.8 percent, up from 7.7 percent in 2001 and the highest level in more than 30 years. In addition, the percent of pre-term births (infants born at less than 37 weeks of gestation) increased slightly over 2001, from 11.9 percent to 12 percent.

-- More than one-third of all births were to unmarried women. The birth rate for unmarried women was down slightly in 2002 to 43.6 per 1,000 unmarried women, reflecting the growing number of unmarried women in the population.

-- Access to prenatal care continued a slow and steady increase. In 2002, 83.8 percent of women began receiving prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy, up from 83.4 percent in 2001 and 75.8 percent in 1990.

Data on births are based on information reported on birth certificates filed in state vital statistics offices and reported to CDC through the National Vital Statistics System. The report is available on CDC's National Center for Health Statistics web site at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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[Quas primas]

Patrick J. Buchanan is right once again......we are contracepting our society into oblivion

[Slyfox]

That's what happens when you abort every third baby over a period of thirty years.

[jocon307]

Then why are two women in my office pregnant, and one just gave birth last month! We've only got about 12 women altogether. We are having a mini-baby-boom.

[Quas primas]

The orgasm has replaced the Cross as the focus of longing and the image of fulfillment.


Malcolm Muggeridge

[Eternal_Bear]

We don't need babies; we just need more Third World immigrants. (sarcasm)

[You Dirty Rats]

Looks like we'll need more immigrants to pay for our Social Security when we all retire!

[MHGinTN]

Ahh, but the accompanying news is we're only killing 1.2 million of our unborn per year, now. Such an enlightened state of population control we've reached!

[MHGinTN]

America practices contraception and contra-birth. So enlightened!

[Snowy]

I guess we all have to have more sex.

[rocky88]

I agree- we are having a baby boom in my office too! I am expecting and so are quite a few others, as well as a few who are out on maternity leave. I even know someone due on the same day as me!

Here's my opinion... that article that came out about a year ago in Newsweek about how women have been fooled into thinking they could easily conceive in their late 30's-early 40's (after they got comfy in their careers) has affected a lot of women's plans! Suddenly lots of women realized that time really is running out, and they need to take advantage of their fertility while they can. The article (I wish I could remember the name of it) got lots of coverage and I think a lot of "career women" got scared by it..

If you are discouraged by the numbers, I would bet next year's will show an increase! Especially with all the military babies. Also, think about the article the other day that showed an increase in stay-at-home moms.. it's not all bad, right?!!

[liberallarry]

ping

[Tax-chick]

birth rate fell to the lowest level

Not around here - my building is full of kids, although I think we have the most (6) in one apartment.

[DoughtyOne]

"The reduction in teen pregnancy has clearly been one of the most important public health success stories of the past decade," Secretary Thompson said. "The fact that this decline in teen births is continuing represents a significant accomplishment."

These two statements don't convince me that Thompson understands that pregnancies and births aren't the same thing, statisticly. Is there really a reduction in pregnancies, or is there simply less births due to abortion run amuk?

[Rytwyng]

"If you do not believe in your own stock enough to wish to see the stock kept up, then you are not good Americans, you are not patriots, and...I for one shall not mourn your extinction; and in such event I shall welcome the advent of a new race [raza nueva??] that will take your place because you will have shown that you are not fit to cumber the ground." --Theodore Roosevelt, 1911

On the other hand... where I am (So-Cal), there seems to be a huge surge of pregnancies and births.... Anglo as well as Latino. Lots of people are having babies, or having additional babies -- coworkers, church friends, etc. It's been called the "9/11 baby boom". Give it another year, it should show up in the statistics.

[Lorianne]

Exactly. It irks me to no end when they pull this. I read it all the time: Teen Birth Rates Down!

Fortunately, if you dig for the information, the teen pregnancy rate is also down, which is genuine cause for celebration. However, they rarely report it this way. Bias.

[beaversmom]

Prager was just talking about the declining birth rate in Europe. One country, I believe Germany, would have to let 500,000 young immigrants into is country every year for the next 30 years to keep it afloat. Ain't liberalism, socialism, feminism, evironmentalism just grand.

On a related topic posted at FR the other day, Britains are leaving the country in the droves:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/933864/posts

[Orangedog]

I think it has a lot to do with the fact a lot of men see what has happened to their other male friends when the wife gets bored, files for divorce, throws him out and then uses the kids as pawns for divorce industry to strip them of their rights as fathers. Men considering having kids these days are taking a huge chance, and a lot of them don't like the thought of ending up on the wrong side of "family" court (the wrong side being any side that a man is on).

[xrp]

Same here in Atlanta. I know of almost 50 people at my workplace who have had a baby or babies in the last 3 years.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks Lorianne.