Posted on 03/08/2005 5:04:17 AM PST by beaversmom
A new snapshot of U.S. birth trends has just been released. It shows shifts in which women are having babies and how those infants are entering the world.
America’s birth and fertility rates (search) both rose by 2 percent in 2003, says the report. The birth rate reached 14.1 births per 1,000 people, up from 13.9 in 2002. The fertility rate (the number of births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years) reached 66 births per 1,000 women.
Moms Are Older
It’s official: More women are having babies later in life. Most women still have babies in their 20s, but the numbers are shifting a bit. The birth rate rose for women aged 25-44 years and dropped 3 percent for teens and women in their early to mid-20s.
In fact, the birth rate for women aged 30 to 44 hasn’t been this high in 30 years, says the report.
Births rose 4 percent among women in their early to mid-30s, 6 percent for women in their late 30s, and 5 percent for women in their early to mid-40s. That brings their rates to about 95, 44, and 9 births per 1,000 people, respectively.
Meanwhile, teenage births dropped, as they have for more than a decade. Births for women in their mid- to late teens fell 3 percent since 2002, for a birth rate of about 42 births per 1,000 women.
More unmarried women also gave birth in 2003. The 4 percent increase brought their birth rate to almost 45 births per 1,000 unmarried women.
Less Smoking, More Prenatal Care
Two healthy trends are still going strong: More women aren’t smoking while pregnant and more are getting early prenatal care (search). Those patterns started about 15 years ago and continued in 2003.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Ping
Ping
Thanks for this!
I'm among the 44 year olds who's expecting, and after getting complete razzing from my entire extended family, I've been noticing more and more that I'm not alone.
I'm more tired than I was in my twenties, but otherwise have had a great experience (so far).
You are welcome. Congratulations and best wishes to you.
This is good news especially when one reads about all the abortions and teenage pregnancies.
My 36 year-old sister just had her second child. Her son is almost 7. She said the whole experience from pregnancy, through childbirth, and now nursing every 2-3 hours is far more draining than she remembered/expected. I give you a lot of credit because at 44, I know I do not have the energy to do it again.
Life is just that much harder for children without grandparents and extended family, but then, that's the American way. Let others (not extended family) rear the children while parents work. Children then grow up and do the same thing...rely on others to rear their children while extended family is somewhere else.
There is a trend towards a greatly increased risk of Downs Syndrome for babies of mothers over 35.
I can tell you, the second time around is physically much rougher, but perhaps emotionally more satisfying, that plus you will probably be a better parent.
I had all my kids in my 30s and surprisingly we were NOT the oldest parents in my pre-natal classes. I have nothing to compare it to. Other than having a cow kick me in the face and break my nose two weeks before DS1 was born, no big deal. No complications.
Our neighbors just had their 9th and they are the same age as us -- 40s. DH's cousin just had their 8th and they are also the same age as us.
About grandparents -- they are living longer, too.
Ann
question: is teen birth down because teen abortion rates and birth control usage are up?
That's probably true in a lot of cases but I had my second at age 34 and my dad was 37 when my mom had me and he's still around for both my kids.
My wife and I are older (me: early 40s, her: late 30s) and just had our second, and I had been thinking that we were not alone. It seems like everyone's having babies lately.
Woo hoo! Let's hear it for those of us who are currently experiencing "advanced maternal age"! :)
Am certain we're better suited financially and emotionally, and more grateful for this blessing than ever as this is his first (and only) child. We'd have done it sooner, but alas there was a war on and he's in the Marines.
Careful planning and checking with my doc, especially about Down's, was involved. (wouldn't want to be a poster woman for irresponsible child creating!)
One reason stats are increasing on Down's is that parents are now having more kids later, thus the stats go naturally up (more sample). They now have some amazing tests, and I will not even have the amniocentesis (the invasive procedure). With the sonogram and tests like neuchal measurements, combined with bloodwork, they were able to predict our chances of Down's had gone from one in 44 to one in over 400. We still pray for healthy every day...
It's definitely worth thinking about before taking on, but sometimes life is just too precious not to follow one's heart.
I've thought about the grandparent issue as well, but this baby will also have two incredible sisters, 14 and 15 years older, to look up to.
I was agrandmother at 43. My Daughter-in-Law had her fifth at 43. We are both doing great.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.