U.S. Birth Rate Reaches Record Low [why have the women given up?]

HHS | June 2003 | Centers for Disease Control

[ex-snook]

U.S. Birth Rate Reaches Record Low
Births to Teens Continue 12-Year Decline; Cesarean Deliveries Reach All-Time High

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, June 25, 2003

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 with a drop of 18 percent for teens 18-19 years.

“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 birthweight 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 preterm 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.

[ex-snook]

"Death Of The West".

Industrial nation women have voted thumbs down. In Japan "Unless we creat a society where women feel comfortable having children and working, Japan will be destroyed in a matter of 50 or 100 years" ['Parasite Singles' have abandoned any idea of marrying and having children.] Reason for Japan's failure to recover economically??

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[Lorianne]

“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.”

Which is it Thompson? A decline in teen pregancy is a success story, a decline in teen births is not necessarily a success story ...... unless you like to celebrate teen abortions.

[friendly]

American women (except for FR babes) are exquisitely narcissistic and superficial. They are too selfish and self-centered to have children in their lives.

The French (of all people) have successfully achieved a rising birth rate with broad-based incentives for motherhood.

[Mercat]

Here I am, the only one of my friends who has a grandchild and she's illegitimate and her mother in jail and her father is a drug dealer. sad.

[Black Agnes]

Yes, but how many of those babies are really French and how many are simply Muslims living in France waiting for a demographic majority?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Isn't France greatly subsidizing motherhood, not to mention daycare and healthcare? Maybe to them, it is a utopia.

[Xenalyte]

It's not that I've given up. It's that my lifestyle won't accommodate a child, and I'm mature enough to recognize my selfishness.

[Cicero]

Not much doubt about it. It's a result of western decay and decadence. Women (and probably their boyfriends and husbands) would rather have a nice lifestyle than a big family. They'd rather live it up now than live for the future. Underneath it all is a kind of nihilism and despair.

A second factor is that a LOT of women have been exposed to STDs as a result of their participation in the sexual revolution. A lot of other women have had abortions. STDs and abortions can both result in problems with childbirth or outright sterility. So even if they change their minds and decide to have babies, they may be unable to.

[Catalonia]

Yes, but how many of those babies are really French and how many are simply Muslims living in France waiting for a demographic majority?

Bingo!

[friendly]

Yes, but how many of those babies are really French and how many are simply Muslims living in France waiting for a demographic majority?

Most are native French. Some are muslim invading Islamofascists.

[DoughtyOne]

In my opinion it goes much farther than reproductive rights.  Let's face it, when was the last time you saw a movie that depicted two happy parents with several happy children?  No, I'm not refering to the movies that show dads being just a bit more intelligent than a pet rock.  I'm not talking about mothers that are portrayed as drunks or sleeping with half their husband's softball team while he's out of the dugout.

Singles are by and large portrayed as pretty with it.  They're cool, innovative and do exciting things.  Married people are boken down, have lost that spark and exhibit their unhappiness in a myriad of ways that leave men and women avoiding marriage like the plague.

Marriage numbers are down.  Nobody wants to take a risk.  Rooming together numbers are up because both can tell themselves they are still part of the witty innovators, still on the prowl, perhaps still not having captured the pefect mate, we shall see.

I'm over fifty and having a great life.  My wife and I are happy.  We go out.  We have fun.  You'd never know we existed by today's popular culture.

That's too bad.  I think society pays a heavy price for this.  The greatest civilization in history is effectively committing Harry Carrey.

[Black Agnes]

Actually I don't think so. I've read too many documents lately that state that the muslims are responsible for 1/3 of all babies born in France now even though their %age of the population is around 15%. The birthrate for 'French' women is about 2 or less, that of Muslims is nearly 4. France will be scary 20 years from now given this trend.

[friendly]

Isn't France greatly subsidizing motherhood, not to mention daycare and healthcare?

These and other incentives. They work terrifically.

So help me for saying this, but we have a lot to learn for the Frenchies in this area.

[=Intervention=]

You are seeking a contradiction where none exists.

[jocon307]

Take heart, I think the tide may be turning. And not only because we are having a mini-baby-boom in my office.

An important factor will be to keep the pressure on the gov't to cut taxes. A point often overlooked is how much the tax burden has increased from the 1950's until today, and the effect that has on families to have children and have a parent be at home with them while they grow up. It is not so hard to work and have one child, or maybe two, but many families must have more than that to average 2.1 per woman (the "replacement" rate), since obviously many women, for many reasons, will never have any children.

To emphasise how true AND overlooked this is, I have heard it said by both Steve Forbes and Jerry Brown. One man each from the right and the left, both who like to actually THINK about things, and both of whom are regularly derided as nutty.

The feminazis are finished. Bill Clinton destroyed their last shred of credibility (the one thing we can all thank him for) and they are left storming the golf courses and defending infanticide. Equal pay for equal work, and some basic respect as thinking people was all normal women ever wanted, and by and large that has been achieved. Soon most women will throw off the yoke of feminism and demand fullfillment of their natural desires, including to have a safe home with a loving husband and children to cherish.

At least I hope this is the case, or you're right, we're through!

[honeygrl]

"American women (except for FR babes) are exquisitely narcissistic and superficial. They are too selfish and self-centered to have children in their lives. "

And women like that really don't need to start having children. I guess the good mothers just need to have more children. Count me out though because the two I have are going to send me to a looney bin. If I added one more to the circus, you might find me under the bed hiding from them or moving in with my mother in law.

[ex-snook]

"The French (of all people) have successfully achieved a rising birth rate with broad-based incentives for motherhood. "

Incentives?? Careers have 'liberated' women. But many women have to work to support the family. Men have been outsourced, laid off, down sized and unable to provide for a family. Others just walk away from the children they create and women use Uncle Sam as the foster father.

Too bad Thompson has not figured out why but he does appear to be an empty suit. But this is a potential future problem for SS.

[=Intervention=]

We do...but we'll never achieve an increase in population as long as we bend over backwards (no pun intended) for the homosexual movement. We'll need to define, defend, and popularize marriage in the media & arts to succeed.

[honeygrl]

"Here I am, the only one of my friends who has a grandchild and she's illegitimate and her mother in jail and her father is a drug dealer. sad. "

How sad. Do you have the child? (you can tell me it's none of my biz if you want and I'd understand.) Sounds like it's time for tough love for your own child and taking custody of the grandchild.