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READ MORE: Americans Are Prioritizing Their Careers and Freedom Over Having Children
In the US, fewer women than ever are giving birth, a worrying pattern that the Trump administration is keen to address.
Provisional
CDC
The data indicates that births increased in 2024 by only a small percentage from the previous year’s historic low. This has sparked worries regarding an aging populace, overburdened social services, as well as decelerated labor force expansion and economic development, particularly when contrasted with nations having a more youthful demographic.
President
Donald Trump
Concerned with declining ‘family values,’ they’ve proposed measures to motivate more individuals to have children. This includes offering tax benefits for parents, implementing paid parental leave, and providing child allowances.
White House
Aides are presently working on a report set for release by mid-May, aimed at suggesting methods to enhance access to in vitro fertilization for couples.
Approximately 3.62 million infants were born in 2024—a mere one percent increase from the 3.59 million births recorded in 2023.
fertility
The rate stood at 54.6 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 years, marking a decrease of less than one percent compared to 2023.
This halted the steady two percent annual decline seen from 2014 to 2020 before leveling off. Still, the rate remains low and i
s not enough to reverse years of steady decline.
The latest numbers suggest a possible turnaround, but experts warn America’s birth rate is still far below what’s needed to
sustain long-term population growth
.
Dr Jamie Grifo, the program director at New York University Langone Fertility Center, told career: ‘We’re below zero population growth in the US, and have been for years.
‘I mean, I’m not someone who worries. I observe, and I don’t think we’re going to run out of people anytime too soon.
But I believe it will have a societal impact. Many problems will arise due to the decrease in population growth.
The Trump administration, particularly Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance, has supported what many refer to as a ‘pro-birth’ movement targeted at promoting population growth.
eversing declining birth rates
.
A suggestion under consideration involves providing a $5,000 newborn bonus to new parents following the birth of their child; President Trump expressed his support for this idea when addressing journalists at the White House.
Aides from the White House are likewise
reportedly
thinking about a proposal that would set aside approximately 30 percent of the esteemed Fulbright grant program for married individuals with children who are adults.
According to the New York Times, another approach would introduce an educational initiative aimed at teaching women about their menstrual cycles and methods for tracking them to enhance their likelihood of conception.
The government monitors two kinds of fertility rate measurements: general and total fertility rates.
The overall fertility rate indicates the average number of live births for every 1,000 women within the reproductive age range (typically between 15–44 years) in a specific year.
The total fertility rate represents the average number of children a woman would likely bear during her lifetime assuming she experiences the present year’s birth rates for every age stage of reproduction.
The general fertility rate in the United States has significantly declined since the post-World War II baby boom era, decreasing from approximately 100 births for every 1,000 women during the 1950s to just 54.6 births per 1,000 women in the previous year.
This stands as the second-smallest figure ever recorded, only slightly higher than the historic low of 54.5 births per 1,000 women set in 2023.
According to this year’s birth rates, the estimated total fertility rate suggests that an average American woman would have approximately 1.63 children throughout her life.
No state experienced an increase in birth rates between 2007 and 2022, the latest year with accessible state-specific data.
The most significant drop in birth rates was observed in Utah throughout the 15-year span, decreasing by 36.2% from 21.2 births for every 1,000 individuals in 2007 to 13.5 births.
The decrease in North Dakota was the least significant across the country.
Vermont has
the least overall fertility rate
At 44.3 births per 1,000 women, whereas South Dakota reported the highest rate at 66.5 births per 1,000 women.
Women are giving birth at an all-time low frequency because of various reasons. Specialists suggest this might be attributed to individuals choosing to have kids later in their lives as they focus on advancing their careers, pursuing further studies, ensuring economic security, and making personal decisions.
The percentage of women between 20 and 24 years old who gave birth decreased by two percent moving from 2023 to 2024, with numbers dropping from 57.7 to 56.7 births. Meanwhile, the figure for those aged 25 to 29 saw an increase of under one percent during this period.
The number of births among women in their late thirties increased by three percent from 2023 to 2024, largely due to improvements in IVF accessibility and technology.
Over the past twenty years, IVF births have consistently increased. Currently, in the United States, approximately two to three percent of total births utilize IVF or some form of assisted reproductive technology.
Dr. Grifo, who also works privately at Inception Fertility in New York City, stated, “It’s evident that more women are choosing to have children later in life, which has many positive aspects. However, their biological systems were not created with this scenario in mind.”
In history, women usually had children during their late teenage years or early twenties. However, within just a few generations, this pattern has changed significantly—from beginning families around age 19 to doing so at 30, 40, or even later, as he mentioned.
And that’s one of the reasons we’re so swamped and find ourselves constantly chilled from handling numerous egg-freezing procedures nowadays. Our patients are beginning their families in their thirties and aiming to have children in their forties using those eggs preserved during their younger years. This trend is not only growing but doing so at an accelerated pace.
The expenses related to daily living, raising children, and accessing healthcare, along with student loans, have discouraged numerous individuals from starting families. Many people now feel that building a household might be beyond their financial means.
Moreover, an increasing number of individuals are choosing to remain child-free or postponing parenthood to focus on their wellbeing. This decision allows for enhanced possibilities to explore travel, venture into new professional avenues, and savor increased personal liberty.
The information from the CDC data also shed light on the rates of premature births—defined as babies born before 36 weeks of pregnancy—which remained constant since 2023, accounting for approximately 10.4 percent of total births.
From 2007 to 2014, the rate of premature births among infants decreased by eight percent; however, this figure increased by seven percent up until 2019. In 2020, there was a slight decrease of one percent, followed by an increase of four percent in 2021. Since then, the numbers have remained constant through 2024.
Between 2023 and 2024, the rate of early preterm births (less than 34 weeks) decreased marginally from 2.76 percent to 2.72 percent, whereas late preterm births (between 34-36 weeks) increased slightly from 7.64 percent to 7.69 percent.
The percentages of late preterm births (occurring between 34 to 36 weeks) were 7.67% in 2021, 7.65% in 2023, and surged to 10.41% in 2024; these figures represent the peak levels observed since at least 2007.
Older first-time mothers are also more likely to have complications requiring cesarean deliveries – prolonged labor, the baby being in breech position, having multiple pregnancies, or having dangerously high blood pressure – which involve surgically removing the infant from the uterus.
In 2024, the overall cesarean delivery rate increased to 32.4 percent, a slight rise from 32.3 percent in 2023.
After peaking at 32.9 percent in 2009, the rate steadily declined to 31.7 percent by 2019, but has increased almost every year since 2020. The 2024 figure represents the highest rate since 2013, at 32.7 percent.
Dr. Grifo stated, “The age of pregnant women can heighten the likelihood of experiencing difficult labor and various complications during pregnancy such as hypertension and diabetes. These conditions often lead to higher rates of Cesarean sections.”
But luckily, they’ve never been safer.
He stated: “Certain occurrences during a Cesarean section could lead to uterine scarring or have implications for future fertility.”
‘However, the truth is, this isn’t typically what happens. Recovery usually occurs without issue, and for most people, their ability to have children remains intact.’
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